Ahead of Scottsdale’s runoff race for City Council, The Arizona Republic is hosting a candidate forum at City Hall on Oct. 12 and is inviting voters to participate.
Three candidates remain following the summer primary election that saw a crowded field of eight vie for three open seats. Only incumbent Councilmember Solange Whitehead won the race outright, meaning two spots remain unfilled.
Incumbent Councilmember Barry Graham and former state lawmaker Michelle Ugenti-Rita are running on a joint conservative platform against self-described moderate Raoul Zubia in the rematch.
Election Day is Nov. 3, and early voting begins Oct. 7.
Here's what to know, how to attend and how to get your questions answered.
Who are the Scottsdale City Council candidates?
Three candidates are competing for two open
council seats in the 2026 General Election. They are:
- Barry Graham (incumbent): The south Scottsdale resident, who lives near Old Town, is a Certified Public Accountant and a father to two boys. He’s a Republican who was elected to the City Council in 2022.
- Michelle Ugenti-Rita: The lifelong Scottsdale resident and commercial real estate agent is a mother of three. She was also a Republican state lawmaker who served in the Arizona House of Representatives from 2010 to 2018 and the Arizona Senate from 2018 to 2022.
- Roaul Zubia: The south Scottsdale resident previously worked in the banking industry as a branch manager and a mortgage loan underwriter. He now serves on the boards of various charitable organizations.
They fell short of earning enough votes to win any of the seats in the July 21 council race outright.
A fourth candidate, former Councilmember Bob Littlefield, qualified for the runoff, but exited the contest to give his political allies — Graham and Ugenti-Rita — a better chance of gathering votes.
Who is moderating the forum?
The Republic’s First Amendment Reporter Taylor Seely will moderate the forum.
She previously reported on Phoenix and the southwest Valley and has led forums and debates around the Valley.
Most recently, Seely moderated a primary election forum in June with seven of the Scottsdale City Council candidates.
How do I participate?
The forum will run from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 12, in Scottsdale City Hall's Kiva.
Anyone can attend. There are 42 seats in the Kiva and standing space for additional attendees in the upper bowl area.
The forum will also be livestreamed and recorded through the city's YouTube channel.
Date: Oct. 12, 2026
- Time: 3:30-4:30 p.m.
- Address: 3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd.
How do I submit a question?
Before the forum, voters will be able to send questions that could be asked at the forum. All the questions will be screened by Republic staff.
What do you want us to ask: Submit questions for the Scottsdale council candidate forum
How do I vote?
The last day to register to vote in the Nov. 3 election is Oct. 5. Ballots will be sent out Oct. 7, allowing early voters to mail in their ballots or drop them off at some locations.
Here’s where you can vote starting Oct. 7.
- Scottsdale City Hall, 3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd. (Drop box only, no in-person voting)
- Florence Ely Nelson Desert Park Recreation Center, 8950 E. Pinnacle Peak Road
- Indian Bend Wash Visitor Center, 4201 N. Hayden Road
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Shawn Raymundo covers Scottsdale and Maricopa County. Reach him at sraymundo@gannett.com or follow him on X @ShawnzyTsunami.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What to know about the Scottsdale council candidate forum on Oct. 12
