Politics in the East Valley usually feels like a slow burn. But the race for the 41st mayor of Mesa was anything but quiet. Honestly, if you weren't glued to the local flyers or the heated Facebook threads, you might’ve missed how narrow the margins really were.
It wasn’t just a "choose your favorite" situation. It was a clash between deep-rooted legacy and a return to the old guard.
Mark Freeman took the win. He’s now the guy in the big chair, having assumed office on January 7, 2025. But the road to getting there? It was a mess of primary upsets and a runoff that kept everyone guessing until the late hours of November 5th.
The field for the city of Mesa mayor candidates 2024 started out crowded. We had five main names on the ballot during the July primary, each trying to convince us they were the one to replace John Giles. Giles was term-limited, so the vacuum he left was massive.
Who actually ran?
The primary was a bit of a localized "Who's Who."
- Mark Freeman: The guy who eventually won. He was a sitting City Council member for District 1 and a retired Fire Captain.
- Scott Smith: The "comeback kid" candidate. He’d already been mayor from 2008 to 2014 and later ran Valley Metro.
- Ryan Winkle: A former councilman with a bit of a controversial past, looking for a second act.
- Carey Davis: A CPA and former mayor of San Bernardino, California, who moved to Mesa in 2019.
- Scott Neely: A concrete contractor who’d previously dipped his toes into the gubernatorial race.
Basically, the primary on July 30th whittled this list down to two heavy hitters: Freeman and Smith. It was incredibly close. Smith actually edged out Freeman by a tiny margin in July—29.1% to 28.6%. That set the stage for a high-stakes runoff.
The Freeman vs. Smith showdown
The general election was where the real drama happened. For months, you couldn't drive down Main Street or through the Lehi area without seeing a sea of signs.
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Mark Freeman leaned heavily on his "homegrown" identity. His family has been farming in the Valley since the late 1800s. He’s a descendant of Charles Crismon, one of Mesa’s founders. That kind of history carries weight in a city that still tries to hold onto its small-town feel despite being the 36th largest city in the country.
Freeman's platform was simple: public safety first. He spent 31 years as a captain paramedic. He didn't just talk about fire and police; he lived it. He also pushed for smart economic growth without losing the "heritage" of the city.
Then you had Scott Smith. Smith was the experienced executive. He talked about "high-quality sustainable growth." He was the only candidate endorsed by both the police and fire unions, which made the race even weirder since Freeman was a literal former firefighter. Smith focused on water supply—a massive deal in Arizona—and reducing red tape for businesses.
The final numbers
When the dust settled in November, Freeman pulled ahead. He secured roughly 52.5% of the vote (about 101,808 votes) compared to Smith’s 46.8% (90,704 votes).
It wasn't a landslide, but it was decisive.
What the "other" candidates were actually saying
While the spotlight stayed on the two front-runners, the primary candidates brought up some issues that aren't going away just because the election is over.
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Carey Davis, for example, was the fiscal hawk. He hammered the city for overspending, claiming Mesa was burning through utility funds to cover general fund deficits. He was pretty vocal about the fact that Mesa spends significantly more than Chandler and Gilbert combined. Even though he didn't make the runoff, that conversation about the "hidden tax" in utility bills stuck with a lot of voters.
Ryan Winkle tried to position himself as the "regular guy." He talked a lot about the Mesa Promise Program and small business owners. Scott Neely, on the other hand, was the outsider. He was anti-light rail expansion and pro-border security, even at the municipal level.
Why the 2024 race felt different
Usually, local elections have the "incumbent advantage." Not this time. Since John Giles couldn't run again, the whole vibe of the city was up for grabs.
There was also the "LDS factor" which people often whisper about but rarely analyze. Both major candidates have deep ties to the community, but they represented different wings of the city's Republican-leaning nonpartisan base.
The biggest surprise? The turnout. Mesa saw around 80% voter turnout. That’s wild for a local race. People actually cared. They cared about the homelessness issues on the light rail, they cared about the rising cost of housing, and they definitely cared about who was going to manage the dwindling water supply.
Looking at the city council shifts
It's sort of a mistake to look at the mayor's race in a vacuum. The city of Mesa mayor candidates 2024 were running alongside a shift in the City Council too.
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- District 1: Rich Adams won this seat, replacing the vacancy left by Freeman.
- District 2: Julie Spilsbury held onto her spot.
- District 3: Francisco Heredia also won his re-election outright in the primary.
What happens now?
Now that Mark Freeman has been sworn in (as of early 2025), the focus shifts to whether he can actually deliver on those "founding father" values while managing a city that is rapidly urbanizing.
He’s already joined the Mayors Alliance to End Childhood Hunger and is sitting on several national water and energy committees. The "rodeo," as he famously called it during his swearing-in ceremony, is officially in full swing.
If you live in Mesa, your day-to-day life is going to be shaped by how Freeman handles the budget and the police staffing levels—something both he and Smith agreed was a major problem.
Actionable steps for Mesa residents
Don't let your civic duty end at the ballot box. If you want to see if Freeman keeps his promises, you've gotta stay involved.
- Watch the Council Meetings: They happen at the Lower Level Council Chambers (57 E. 1st St.). If you can't make it, they're on YouTube. Seriously, it's the best way to see where the money is going.
- Join a Board: The city is always looking for people for the Board of Adjustment or the Design Review Board. Freeman himself started on these boards.
- Track the Utility Rates: Since Carey Davis made such a big deal about the utility fund transfers, keep an eye on your monthly bill. If those rates spike to cover city projects, you'll know exactly what's happening.
- Connect via the App: Use the "Mesa CityLink" app to report issues. It’s a direct line to the departments Freeman is now overseeing.
The 2024 election proved that Mesa isn't just a sleepy suburb anymore. It's a powerhouse that demands real leadership. Whether Freeman is that leader remains to be seen, but the residents have clearly placed their bets.