While 2017 is not a major presidential election year, there are still opportunities for UA students to register and vote for their political representatives.
Students can also contact their political representatives at any time to ask for their support on issues important to them, especially those pertaining to higher education in Arizona.
If you’re interested in political advocacy, check out the opportunity to visit the state legislature with the AdvoCats at arizonaalumni.com/legislativeadvocacy.
Here is a list of the politicians that represent you at every level of the political hierarchy.
City Council Member 
Steve Kozachik
Represents: City of Tucson Ward 6
Political Party: Democratic (since 2013)
Terms: 2 (2009-2017)
Contact: ward6@tucsonaz.gov, (520) 791-4601
Kozachik is a UA alumnus and also works in the UA athletics department as an associate director for facilities and project management.
Kozachik left the Republican party in 2013 believing it was out of touch with the views of his community on a variety of social issues including immigration, women’s reproductive rights and gun control.
As part of his re-election campaign this year, Kozachik highlights his efforts to give Tucson a balanced budget and revitalize its downtown with economic investments.
Recently, Kozachik criticized the UA over its fast-tracking of a development deal to build a new honors complex without adequately reaching out to the surrounding community.
County Supervisor 
Richard Elías
Represents: Pima County Supervisorial District 5
Political Party: Democratic
Terms: 4.5 (2002- 2020), gained seat in an off year election when Raúl Grijalva resigned the seat to run for Congress
Contact: district5@pima.gov, (520) 724-8126
In 2016, Elías led a successful effort to pass a parental-leave policy for Pima county employees which provides 6 weeks of two-thirds pay for new parents. He also announced the Supervisors support for Project Period which collects tampons and sanitary pads for women and girls in the community, and created a GoFundMe page to raise money for the campaign.
The three most important issues Elías vows to fight for are social justice, economic equity and protection of the Sonoran Desert Habitat. More recently, Elías opposed providing the agribusiness company Monsanto special tax benefits in the county.
Mayor 
Jonathan Rothschild
Represents: City of Tucson
Political Party: Democratic
Terms: 2 (2011-2019)
Contact: mayor1@tucsonaz.gov, (520) 791-4201
As mayor, Rothschild has led a number of initiatives to raise funds to improve Tucson’s infrastructure, with the most recent being a sales tax increase for road repair and emergency vehicles. Rothschild has advocated for Tucson’s solar and water industries helping to secure grants to fund innovation, overseen the construction of pedestrian and bike paths and led initiatives to improve literary and high school drop out rates, as well as end veteran homelessness.
Rothschild gained international recognition for his efforts to form development projects on both sides of the Mexican border. A story of Rothschild as the victim of a carjacking gained national media attention earlier in the year.
Governor
Doug Ducey
Represents: State of Arizona
Political Party: Republican
Terms: 1 (2015-2019)
Contact: engage@az.gov, (520) 628-6580
Ducey ran on a platform of expanding funding for Arizona charter schools and school choice for Arizona students. Exercising his veto power, Ducey prevented same-sex couples from being denied adoption and foster parent rights. In 2015, Ducey joined many other Republican governors in opposing Syrian refugee resettlement in his state.
The former CEO of Cold Stone Creamery, Ducey sought to expand Arizona’s economy by reducing regulations and bringing innovative technology companies, like those who test self-driving cars, to the state. More recently, Ducey fought successfully to include additional funding to the UA and the other state universities, in order to secure bonds to fund deferred maintenance projects.
Representative 
Raúl Grijalva
Represents: Arizona 3rd Congressional District
Political Party: Democratic
Terms: 8 (2003-2019)
Contact: raul.grijalva@mail.house.gov, (520) 622-6788
As a ranking member of the Committee on Natural Resources, Grijalva has been an outspoken critic of the oil industry as well as the use of public lands for commercial purposes. Grijalva supports gun control and believes climate change is a threat to the country’s prosperity.
A staunch supporter of Native American sovereignty, Grijalva introduced a bill in 2010 to expand federal consultation with tribes on a number of major issues. Grijalva supports the protection of immigrants from deportation and called for a financial boycott of the state after the passage of the infamous SB 1070. Grijalva also supports a single-payer health care system.
Representative 
Martha McSally
Represents: Arizona 2nd Congressional District
Political Party: Republican
Terms: 2 (2015-2019)
Contact: martha.mcsally@mail.house.gov, (520) 881-3588
McSally won her first term by 167 votes, becoming Arizona’s first female Republican in the House of Representatives. A former Air Force combat pilot, McSally’s legislation seeks to improve homeland security and veteran affairs.
McSally believes legislation on education, abortion and same-sex marriage should originate in the states.
She opposed EPA emission regulations citing their detriment to Arizona consumers. McSally’s bills secured funding to fill staffing gaps at the border and target cartels, advancing her key issue: border security.
McSally has been criticized for avoiding taking clear positions on many issues. More recently, McSally voted in favor of Trumpcare and is attempting to secure Arizona interests in NAFTA’s renegotiation.
Senator 
John McCain
Represents: State of Arizona
Political Party: Republican
Terms: 6 (1987-2023)
Contact: senator@mccain.senate.gov, (520) 670-6334
McCain ran as the Republican nominee in the 2008 presidential election, losing to Barack Obama.
As chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, McCain raised his opposition to the Iran Nuclear Deal and more recently has sought to impose further sanctions on Russia. An honored veteran himself, McCain has focused on improving care for veterans, especially after the recent Veteran Affairs scandals.
McCain’s seminal legislative achievement was the passage of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act to reign in nonfederal campaign spending. McCain opposed enhanced interrogation, supports gun rights and has worked to build trust in the Native American community.
McCain was recently diagnosed with brain cancer, but returned to Congress just in time to vote “no” on the Republican Senate healthcare repeal bill.
Senator 
Jeff Flake
Represents: State of Arizona
Political Party: Republican
Terms: 1 (2013-2019)
Contact: senator@flake.senate.gov, (520) 575-8633
Flake gained national headlines for his criticism of President Trump, which prompted the president to consider personally spending $10 million in a primary challenge of Flake.
During a trip to Cuba, Flake questioned the effectiveness of U.S. sanctions on the country. He has been an advocate for a bipartisan immigration reform similar to the bill he co-sponsored in 2013.
More recently, Flake introduced and successfully passed legislation that repealed an Obama era FCC rule preventing telecommunication networks from tracking and sharing users’ browsing history and activity without their permission.
Flake was present during the 2017 congressional baseball shooting of Congressman Steve Scalise.
How to Register to Vote
Individuals with an address in Tucson, including a UA dorm, and proof of U.S. citizenship can register to vote in Pima County. Individuals with an Arizona driver license can register online at servicearizona.com. Those without an Arizona license can print and mail their registration form from recorder.pima.gov.
Arizona maintains an opt-in permanent early voter list, which mails a ballot to listed voters each election. Arizona’s voter ID law requires specific combinations of identifying documents when voting in person.
To vote in Tucson’s Nov. 7 general election, voters must be living in Tucson and registered to vote 29 days in advance.
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