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The Mesa City Commission haschose to conduct a special election in Novemberto remember one of its own.
A petition requesting a recall of Mesa Councilwoman Julie Spilsbury, who serves District 2, was filed in January, as stated in the resolution the council approved on Tuesday night.
The petition for recall collected almost 4,000 signatures and was sent for review in May, with the Maricopa County Recorder's Office confirming that the number of signatures surpassed the state law requirement for initiating a recall election.
Maricopa County Elections will be responsible for conducting the election. Mesa has announced the following schedule dates:
- Candidate Registration Period – August 6, 2025 – September 5, 2025
- Deadline for voter registration – October 6, 2025
- Ballots will be sent by mail – October 8, 2025
- Final day to send in the ballot – October 28, 2025
- Extra Election Day – November 4, 2025
Individuals who signed the petition allege that Spilsbury "exploited her political position to further personal gains." As stated on the sample ballot for the recall election, which is Exhibit B of the resolution, Spilsbury:
- Supported on November 6, 2023, with Ordinance 5817, which permitted converting a hotel into a social service center for temporary shelter for homeless individuals.
- Voted in favor on December 2, 2024, for the adoption of Ordinance numbers 5832 through 5838, which increased Mesa's utility rate structures.
- Voted in favor on December 11, 2024, for bill 5840 that increases city council compensation.
Multiple individuals voiced their opposition to Councilwoman Spilsbury prior to the vote, urging her to resign without delay. A topic repeatedly highlighted by her critics was that Spilsbury, a member of the Republican party, backed Democratic candidates Ruben Gallego and Kamala Harris during the 2024 election. JoAnne Robbins, who initiated the recall effort and resides in District 2, mentioned that her constituents feel deceived.
"She leveraged her position to support candidates who oppose pro-life and pro-family values, which is a form of deception," Robbins stated.
Although the council's vote was unanimous, with Spilsbury casting a 'yes' vote, two members stated they only supported it because state law mandated their decision.
"I think it's a misuse of public funds without a valid reason," said councilwoman Jenn Duff.
"I don't agree with everything [Spilsbury has] done or said or advocated for, but this is not beneficial for Mesa," stated councilman Rich Adams.
Spilsbury talked to 12News right after the meeting ended and mentioned that the 'yes' votes listed in the recall petition were approved by the council without any opposition, including Mayor Mark Freeman's backing. She also noted that her support for candidates was declared prior to her re-election in July.
"I'm really frustrated with this situation. I haven't done anything wrong, nothing illegal, which is what recalls are meant for," Spilsbury stated.
Now, following her successful re-election campaign with 65% of the votes, she must get ready for another election.
I truly want to continue with this," she stated. "I will fight for it. People say, 'You should step down,' but I won't resign, and I'm not leaving.
As per the resolution, the special election is expected to incur a minimum cost of $104,577, calculated using the typical expense of a mail-in ballot and the number of registered voters in District 2. The event is scheduled for November. Although the candidate challenging Spilsbury has not yet been revealed, Robbins mentioned that they have a person in mind who will announce her candidacy shortly.
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