Incumbent Phoenix City Council member behind in runoff race, unofficial results show

Phoenix voters to pick 2 city council members in runoff election

The runoff election on March 14 is the result of no candidate getting a majority of the votes cast in the council election last November.

PHOENIX - Officials with the City of Phoenix have released unofficial results for the city council runoff elections in parts of the city.

Runoff elections took place on March 14 for City Council Districts 6 and 8 because no candidate received a majority of the votes cast in the council election last November for those two districts.

The elected candidates will take office for a four-year term beginning on April 7.

District 6

In District 6, which includes those in the Biltmore, Ahwatukee, Arcadia, and North Central neighborhoods, Kevin Robinson is running against Sam Stone for the seat.

Robinson is a former assistant police chief at the Phoenix Police Department and a professor at Arizona State University.

Stone was previously the chief of staff for outgoing Councilman Sal DiCiccio. Stone was also a policy advisor for Kari Lake's 2022 campaign for governor.

According to unofficial figures, Robinson received 21,390, or 62.39% of the vote. Stone received 12,897, or 37.61% of the vote.

Stone has issued a concession statement via Twitter, congratulating Robinson and wishing him well.

Meanwhile, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego has congratulated Robinson.

District 8

In District 8, which covers south Phoenix and the downtown area, incumbent Carlos Garcia is facing Kesha Hodge Washington.

Garcia began serving on the council in 2019 and is the co-founder of the "Puente Human Rights Movement."

Washington is the former assistant attorney general and has practiced law in Phoenix for two decades.

According to unofficial figures, Washington has received 8,311, or 56.18% of the vote, while Garcia has received 6,482, or 43.82% of the vote.

If Robinson and Washington retain their respective leads, it means that come April, there will be two African American members of the Phoenix City Council.

While there have been a number of African Americans who have served as members of the Phoenix City Council in recent decades, no one who is currently on the Phoenix City Council claims to be of African American heritage.