How the Primary works:

There are 3 open seats in the upcoming Scottsdale City Council election.  Depending on the outcome of the July Primary, winners can be determined as early as July or as late as November.

A candidate is declared elected at the Primary if they receive a majority of the legal votes cast.

How the “majority” is calculated: Because voters can cast up to three votes (one for each open seat), the “majority” isn’t just 50% of the voters. It is calculated using this formula:

• Total Votes: Add up every legal vote cast for all council candidates
• Divide by Seats: Divide that total by the number of seats (3)
• Find the Halfway Mark: Divide that number by 2.
• Round Up: Round to the next highest whole number. This number defines the “majority”.

The General Election: November 3, 2026

If any of the three seats remain unfilled after the July Primary (meaning fewer than three candidates reached the majority threshold), those seats move to the General Election in November.

• Who advances: The number of candidates moving forward is twice the number of remaining vacancies.
• The Runoff: If no one wins in July, the top 6 vote-getters (from the field of 8) will face off in November.  If one person wins in July, the next 4 highest vote-getters move on to compete for the remaining two seats
• The Winners: In the general election, the “majority” rule no longer applies.  The candidates who receive the highest number of votes for the remaining vacancies are the winners.