Scottsdale Council Primary: Whitehead Holds Lead As Ballots Continue To Be Counted

SCOTTSDALE, AZ — Scottsdale voters narrowed the field for three open City Council seats Tuesday, with early unofficial results showing a closely contested race as ballots continue to be counted.

Eight candidates competed for three seats in the primary election, and no candidate had yet reached the vote threshold required to win a seat outright, according to the latest unofficial results.

The outcome remains unsettled until all ballots are counted and results are finalized.

Under the Scottsdale City Charter, candidates must receive a majority of votes cast in their race to be elected outright in the primary. If any seats remain undecided, the candidates with the six highest vote totals will advance to the Nov. 3 general election.

As of the latest unofficial update at 3 a.m. Wednesday, with 54,582 ballots counted and turnout at 32.76%, Solange Whitehead led the field with 17.65% of the vote, followed by Michelle Ugenti-Rita with 14.85% and Barry Graham with 14.43%.

Bob Littlefield had 13.6%, Raoul Zubia had 13.52% and Ethan Knowlden had 13.25%. Crystal Carroll and Eric Sloan trailed with 7.3% and 5.4%, respectively.

If those standings remain unchanged after all ballots are counted, Whitehead, Ugenti-Rita, Graham, Littlefield, Zubia and Knowlden will advance to the Nov. 3 general election.

Maricopa County has emphasized that the results remain unofficial until the canvass is complete and plans to continue releasing updated vote totals until every ballot has been counted.

The race has been one of the most closely watched local contests this year, with eight candidates competing for three council seats.

Incumbents Barry Graham and Solange Whitehead are seeking reelection, while Councilmember Kathy Littlefield was term-limited after serving 12 years, guaranteeing at least one newcomer will join the council.

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The three winners will take office in January.