Turnout for Tucson primary higher than average

Council races

Because each candidate was unopposed in his or her primary election, every candidate advances to face one opponent in the citywide general election.

Democrat Regina Romero is seeking a third term in Ward 1. She is challenged by Republican Bill Hunt.

Paul Cunningham, the incumbent Democrat in Ward 2, faces Kelly Lawton.

And five-term Councilwoman Shirley Scott faces Vail school board member Margaret Burkholder in the Ward 4 race.

Mayoral race

Jonathan Rothschild will be the only name on the ballot for mayor in November. The incumbent Democrat was unopposed in the primary and the Republicans’ slate didn’t include a mayoral candidate.

Joshua Chesser and Chuck Phillips have filed paperwork to run as independent write-in candidates.

Voter turnout

Turnout in the mayoral and council primary was 14.4 percent, compared to an average turnout of 12.7 percent. The lowest turnout in recent years was in 2005, when 7.5 percent of registered Tucson voters cast ballots.

Campaign fundraising

Campaign finance reports filed Friday provided the first look at fundraising and show Democrats are far ahead in the money race.

Romero has about $29,600 cash on hand and has applied for $20,000 in public matching funds. Her opponent, Hunt, reported about $3,800 on hand.

Cunningham has about $16,900 on hand. His opponent, Lawton, has about $7,800.

Scott has about $19,100 on hand, compared to Burkholder’s $4,000.

Rothschild raised the most, with about $94,100 on hand headed into the general election.

Outside spending

The Republicans are getting a boost from Revitalize Tucson, a group led by Republican activists Christine Bauserman and Frank Antenori.

The group has spent $30,400 on 40 billboard ads that ask questions about the incumbents’ performance. One billboard reads “Who raises water rates four years in a row? Ask Shirley Scott, Paul Cunningham & Regina Romero.”

Cunningham said the ad campaign also sends a message about the Republican candidates.

“If this is the type of campaign they’re going to run — where they’re just going to do insult politics — then what kind of leadership are you going to expect?” he said on the “Buckmaster Show.”