In the Arizona Senate District 22 race, all candidates are write-ins. Here's what to know about them

Voters have until Nov. 8 to decide who will fill the 30 open seats in the Arizona Senate, where election winners will go on to craft policies around issues ranging from voting rights to abortion over the next two years.

The Senate race in left-leaning Legislative District 22 may be the most unusual in the state. Nine hopefuls are vying for the Tolleson area's seat in that contest, but each of them is a write-in candidate so their names won't actually appear on the ballot.

Former Rep. Diego Espinoza will be the only person listed on the ballot despite his resignation in September, when he took a job for Salt River Project. Any ballots cast for him won't get counted.

Voters will instead have to physically write their desired candidate's name on the ballot if they want it to be tallied. Their choices include five Democrats, three Republicans and one Independent:

• Kenya Raymond (D)

• Eva Diaz (D)

• Steve Chapman (D)

• Justin Crawford (D)

• Paul Valach (D)

• Jeff Norwood (R)

• Steve Robinson (R)

• Ryan Benson (R)

• Stephen Diehl (I)

Residents can check their registration status on the Arizona Secretary of State Office’s website. Those who vote by mail should send in their ballot by Nov. 1 or drop it off at a voting location by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 8.

The Arizona Republic asked the write-in Senate candidates of Legislative District 22 to share their views on key state issues to help voters decide whom to elect.

Norwood and Benson did not provide answers after repeated requests, and The Republic was unable to reach Benson, Crawford or Valach as their contact information is not publicly available. Their responses will be added if the candidates submit them.

Top priorities

If you are elected, what will be your top priority while in office, and what would you do about it? 

Diaz (D):The state has many issues that need attention, but at this moment in time, restoring a women’s right to an abortion is a priority. The 1864 law is outrageous with no exceptions for rape or incest which absolutely also targets girls. Are we as a society ready to see 10 (and) 11-year-olds walking around eight months pregnant? Childbearing aged girls also have a higher risk of complications. Doctors can get up to five years in prison, so now lawyers will be making decisions for reproductive healthcare in emergency departments in order to protect the hospitals. About 84% of men are writing these laws and I bet hardly any of them can tell you what an ectopic pregnancy is. An abortion is a personal gut-wrenching decision in which legislators have no business in.

Chapman (D): I currently represent a large portion of LD22 as a Tolleson Union school board member, and my priority for the state Senate would remain the same: to ensure meaningful policies are passed to benefit the community and the state of Arizona. The community needs our public schools to be prioritized with investments and less state level interference; the community needs an economy and job market that allows them to live and enjoy their neighborhoods without worrying about affording critical goods and services.

Diehl (I): The biggest priority facing the people of Arizona is that of health and living standards. Water is a major concern for a great deal of people. This is not just a local concern either, water shortages are coming globally, today! If we are to salvage what we have built here, we are going to need a health care system that is safer.

Most hospitals that take government money need to come to a clear safety standard when it comes to nurse/patient ratios. This will not fix staffing shortages, but it will keep the nurses and medical providers we do have from being overworked and find other employment opportunities that are less stressful. Many in healthcare are outraged by the way their employers and government entities valued their service during the pandemic. It will require investigation, but many are concerned about an unhealthy relationship between medical boards and state accreditation. Medical personnel take years to train and thousands of dollars, we need to encourage people to stay in medicine, in the coming trying times. We need to be very careful with legislation in this regard that might risk an increased authority to governments and corporations which could make the problem way worse.

Raymond did not provide an answer to this question.

Education

Public schools received a $1 billion budget increase this year that's expected to raise Arizona’s ranking from 48th to 45th in per-pupil spending. How do you see the level of current public-school funding in Arizona: Too little, too much or about right? Should the Aggregate Expenditure Limit be raised, allowing schools to spend the extra money? 

Diaz (D): The ranking says it all. As a 27-year public school educator who teaches in an underprivileged district, coming in at 45th per student is nothing to be proud of. The Aggregate Expenditure Limit definitely needs to be raised. It’s ludicrous that those who don’t work in a public schools environment, are busy keeping districts from spending available funds on our children. The last time it was raised was in the 1980s. We’re in 2022. No wonder we’re 45th.

Chapman (D): It was great to see a bipartisan budget and in the end an increase to public education funding this last session. However, the looming cuts year after year due to the aggregate expenditure limit risk many of our public dollars being cut from schools. Those cuts will result in many districts across the state having to consider closing schools. We need to expect more from our leaders than just 45th in education funding, it’s time for Arizona to lead. Arizonans deserve significant investments in the public K-12 system, as well as policies that do not tie the hands of our teachers from being able to educate our students based on the facts. We must address the AEL to ensure that community schools are not facing budget reductions that will result in overcrowded classrooms and staffing cuts.

Diehl (I): I've talked to a lot of families regarding their kids and school. During the pandemic, our education system completely failed on every metric. This was not a fault of the teachers, but the evidence was overwhelming. Student performance was terrible, and students with learning disabilities were just out of luck. Teachers simply could not control the classroom remotely. The amount of homework was truly horrifying in my family's case. I remember having to help with several hours of homework after "school hours" when doing almost nothing productive over the Zoom class because of interruptions or distractions. Many parents had similar complaints, especially with parents with younger kids. The teachers were so stressed, I remember name calling by teachers to students on days when I was home. Since we started homeschooling, the reading comprehension, and ability to understand math and science has gone up dramatically. I do support additional pay for instructors and teachers. If the school administrators will allow the teachers to instruct and prepare students to be competitive, and competent, then they are justified in whatever budget the school districts ask for. If the school budget ends up in the football stadium, they don't deserve a cent. Our children's future is not solidified in athletics, it's in skill building and training for the 21st century.

Raymond (D): I think it’s too low and it’s embarrassing to see Arizona is almost dead last for pupil spending, if you did a comparison to the top highest 10 states that receive more funding, you would see that the additional funding is used to hire dedicated circular based teachers, create more after school programs that target more hands on learning programs like science and math, having a dedicated counselor on hand at schools. The Aggregate Expenditure Limit should be raised, to allow schools to spend the extra money on after school learning programs that are career based (science, math, English, theater).

Do you support the school voucher expansion that passed this year and would you seek to modify it?

Diaz (D): Modify it out of existence. The talking point is choice. We have that already. Parents can send their children to any public school of their choice based on available classroom space, including many charters. Voucher expansion is nothing more than the transfer of public tax dollars to private entities and to the detriment to our public schools.

Chapman (D): I did not support the voucher expansion from this previous session. I understand that parents want to make sure their kids have the best opportunities available to them, and they should be confident when they drop their child off at school that their needs are being met. Our solution lies in looking at the various laws and regulations in place and determining if they are helping or hurting our students. Instead of trying to privatize our education system, we should be looking at targeted investments in our communities that need more support, from our urban poor to our rural and suburban neighborhoods, to ensure they are receiving equitable funding to find and retain staff. Additionally, every school that receives any public funding should have to play by the same rules and oversight as all of our public school districts.

Diehl (I): I do support the voucher system.

Raymond (D): The expansion may be a great start, however it sounds more like it’s for kids who are already in private schools or being homeschooled. What about special needs children or our lower income students that already go to public schools that are rated D and below? Where is the accountability to ensure that “Every school wins”? How do we as taxpayers know where the money is being applied and to whom? I’m against putting public tax money into private hands on education. If they want to help children escape failing public schools then INVEST AND IMPROVE those same public schools.

Elections and voting rules

Do you think there are significant problems with the state’s election system and, if so, what are they and how would you try to fix them?

Diaz (D):  Absolutely not. I believe there is a good portion of the public who has been sold that there are problems with our elections system and those running for office who claim we can’t trust our elections system are just using scare tactics to take advantage of those people. It’s nothing more than an invented problem, therefore, there is nothing to fix.

Chapman (D): I do not believe there are significant problems, we must always work to make sure that voters have a seamless process to cast their vote. Some of this work has been done over the last few years, from the opening of voting centers so that voters can go anywhere and have a district specific ballot printed so they can vote near home or near work. The counting process is very transparent with people able to watch virtually and in person ballots being counted, as well as leaders from all political parties being a part of the process to verify that the machines counting are always working properly.

Diehl (I): Close elections are usually always dramatic and everyone wants to support the candidate they want to win. However, I heard a great deal of rumors that many families voted twice, or voted for relatives, or voted on behalf of the dead. These rumors could be untrue, they could all be social media lies, or deception. Rumors such as these tear at the fabric of any democratic nation. Why have a system that can facilitate these kinds of rumors? Election Day is the day we vote, show ID, receive a ballot, once your ballot is turned in your vote can be counted.

Raymond (D): No, I do not think we have a problem with the state election, if I recall we only found about 9 cases here in Arizona of election fraud.

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Do you support mail-in voting?

Diaz (D): We’ve had early voting for years and 88% of Arizona voters use this method. We have many senior communities in our state and mail-in ballots can be viewed as accessibility to the voting booth within their home through mail. They don’t have to worry about transportation or standing in line. Imagine if there is no mail-in voting and how it would affect them. They also happen to have the highest turnout. Mail in voting is also convenient for those who work full time or are busy. So why wouldn’t anyone support it? I am also against Prop. 309 which is trying to throw roadblocks to those who vote by mail with unnecessary affidavits.

Chapman (D): I do support mail-in voting. Arizona has a long tradition of voting by mail, many receive their ballots by mail, and because of that their elected representatives should be working to protect that process.

Diehl (I): Mail-in voting in the form of absentee ballots has been a part of our accepted legal methods to vote for a long time. Mail-in voting has to be scrutinized in the same way any ballot is. It must be checked for duplicates or non existent people. The current mail-in voting methodology in the last election was a total disaster. The fact that any voters felt like their votes either were not counted, or ignored, or fraudulently created because of this mail-in system is a reason to not encourage it. How were minorities guaranteed that their votes were even counted? As an example; credit card companies struggle everyday with identity fraud that costs millions. There is no way the mail-in system is even close to the security level of that of a financial system. Polling places exist for a reason. ID is shown on the day of election, and a ballot is issued. That ID is then tagged as having received a ballot. Even that system can be prone to points of failure, but it's simpler and easier to track in case of fraud.

Raymond (D): Yes, I do support mail in voting because it beats standing in long lines, big crowds (COVID risk) and gives the elderly and disabled a chance to vote instead of trying to find a way to the polls. Early and mail in voting is how I vote most of the time.

Do you believe that the Legislature has plenary power, or should obtain the power, to overturn elections? 

Diaz (D): The same Legislature that tells women what they can or can’t do with private healthcare decisions? No. They should not have the power to overturn elections. The people voted, too bad if it’s not what they wanted. With the political climate the way it is, I have no doubt the Legislature would abuse the power to overturn elections.

Chapman (D): I do not believe that, nor would I support it. The people of Arizona decide who they want to govern from the local to the national level by their votes. Sometimes a candidate wins and sometimes they do not. No governing body should be able to determine for their constituents who wins elections. It is “we the people”, not “we the few."

Diehl (I): Giving any branch of government the ability to change the results of any election is absurd. I remember how badly the Supreme Court decision in Bush vs. Gore was received. The Legislature has the power to investigate, subpoena, and invalidate based on facts found pertaining to results, but not to change the outcome arbitrarily to whatever political party is dominant in the Legislature at the time.

Raymond (D): No, I do not believe that the Legislature should have the plenary power to overturn elections because I believe it’s dangerous and it threatens voting and our history of free and fair elections would be compromised. For me I don’t want someone telling me my vote doesn’t count and then get to make up any reason they see fit to justify it.

Water resource management

What should the state Legislature do to best manage future cuts to the CAP water supply and the possibility that the drought may not end or get worse?

Diaz (D): This is a serious issue that can affect our way of life. We live in a desert with golf courses galore. The Arizona Republic had a story on golf courses exceeding their water allotments. There needs to be a law that they use reclaimed water. We have millions moving into the state, we need water for crops. The demand for water is up while Lake Mead’s levels keep dropping. The cities who have an abundance of land and in the growth mode, need to have the water to sustain their populations.

Chapman (D): The state needs to create long term plans for our infrastructure and our water supply. We need to work with our cities and counties to determine water needs, and begin steps to reduce water waste and limit companies from bottling it and shipping it out of state or even out of county as we have seen most recently. More importantly, Arizona leaders need to listen to the experts and work with them to draft the needed policies and investments now, before it’s too late.

Diehl (I): We need to seriously investigate and access water from another source if needed. It would take less than 70 miles of water pipeline from Somerton, Arizona, to the Colorado River Delta. A desalination plant close to Yuma that could be rebuilt to be sufficient and large enough to supply the metro areas and ease demand off the CAP would help us a great deal. The details can be ironed out with Mexico, but we absolutely can not rely on the CAP to supply us with long term water needs. The semiconductor and the Palo Verde nuke plant both absolutely need water to function, they both are semi-self reliant in that regard. However, the people and farmland here are not using renewable water supplies. A water shortage can repel investors, and industries. Phoenix could live up to its namesake.

Raymond (D): 1. Improve the water use information (by mailers), 2. Promote water conservations by giving the public the “facts” on water supply, 3. Strengthen environmental management, 4. Developing new water sources (dams, ponds, wells) and maybe restoring pastures and water resources. If the drought really gets worse (household allotments, agriculture usage, parks, lawn care, golf courses, etc.) This is definitely a big issue, if the water supply doesn’t improve, a negative domino effect could take place (populations fleeing, house values plummet, workforce decrease, tax-based decrease, etc.)

Social issues and immigration

Are there particular cultural issues you would feel compelled to take a stand on — i.e., abortion, LGBTQ, critical race theory, or corporate environmental, social and governance measures — and what would be your position on them? How would you balance personal freedoms with your stance on these issues?

Diaz (D): Someone’s personal beliefs should not be used to make laws that target a segment of the population such as women and their right to privacy in making their own healthcare decisions. You have a right to not believe in abortions. That’s fine, don’t get one, don’t pay for one. There seems to be a lot of hypocrisy around the anti-abortion issue, especially from those who are the loudest about it.

Chapman (D): Now more than ever we must protect a woman’s right to choose, these are private decisions that need to be made by her and her doctor, not the government. More so these decisions should not be criminalized, and nor should they be subject to government intrusion. Arizona should be inclusive of our LGBTQ community, and we should not tolerate discrimination in any form. Arizonans should be free to be who they are and make medical decisions that are in their best interests as an individual.

Diehl (I): The moment I applied to be a recognized candidate in this election, my personal freedoms and privacy went out the window. When I win this election, every word, every action has consequences for the entirety of my time working in the state Senate. The only cultural issue that I find the most important is a culture of free enterprise. My district is home to some of the most creative and ingenious people around. We are not wealthy or members of some "sophisticated" clubs. We make do every single day, with what we have, and we work hard for it. I will never do anything to further deter any success they might have. It is important that I listen, not impose on the public.

Raymond (D): I will always and continue to take a stand on equal and fair education for our kids. I'm tired of schools labeling socially challenged kids as “bad”. Making school suspensions and expulsions the first option when a child is somewhat difficult or maybe has difficulty learning due to a disability or lack of home resources.

Suspending, expelling or sending our children to behavior managed classrooms is a set up for failure. If we trained and educated our teachers on “how to” deal with these types of students early on before they get to high school, it will change the outcome.

What, if anything, should the Legislature do to address immigration and border issues?

Diaz (D): There will always be an immigration and border issue no matter what the border states try to do. This is a federal responsibility and until Congress actually writes legislation to address it in a serious manner instead of using it as a political score, nothing will ever be solved. We must remember that farmers depend on immigrants to work their land. There have been plenty of instances where crops have rotted in the fields due to lack of workers. There are billions of dollars exchanged in trade with Mexico. There needs to be cooperation from all who are serious about addressing the issue.

Chapman (D): Immigration processes and border security are ultimately a federal matter, and we should be partnering with our congressional delegation on these matters. At the state level there are a few things we can do, for example we have a ballot initiative to allow students who have graduated from Arizona high schools to attend our public colleges and universities at in-state tuition rates. This will have a great benefit to our communities as well as those who would be able to finally attend college at an affordable rate. What we can do is remove barriers to resources, when we should instead be working to help people through the processes to help improve America even more.

Diehl (I): The border is a very complicated humanitarian crisis with no easy solution. The wall is a temporary solution to an economic problem. Law enforcement is obviously overwhelmed at the border and drowning in needs. Law enforcement needs tools, proper education (training) and effective policies. As a legislator I will vote to authorize whatever funds sheriffs need to do their job while allowing for the autonomy for which they were elected to do. I do not believe "the wall" is anything more than an expensive psychological talisman that is prone to failure. Long term (20+ years) plans ought to include economic solutions that involve changes in foreign policy at the federal level, not paramilitary solutions that are easily circumvented.

Raymond (D): I believe one of the ways we could improve our border issues is to hire and train more border patrol. How do we attract more people who want these jobs, do we offer better benefits, do we increase the starting salaries? Although, I do not agree with sending migrants to other states without any financial resources or housing. Should Arizona (TX, CA) and its taxpayers be the only ones who must house, feed and pay for a nation’s immigration problem? Sending migrants to other states does “NOT” solve the problem but only makes it worse.

Economics, state spending

Do you think the Legislature should try to help ease inflation in Arizona, (metro Phoenix’s inflation rate is No. 1 in the country), and how should lawmakers do that?

Diaz (D): Inflation comes about when there is an issue with supply and demand. People complain with good reason, but that’s capitalism. Anytime an oil company has an issue, gasoline prices go up as they continue to post record profits. The one area I believe lawmakers can maybe help with is the gouging of renters for no other reason than because they can. The skyrocketing prices of buying a home led to this. There needs to be a limit on how much landlords, whether private or corporate, can raise their rent at one time once the leases are up for renewal. People living out of their vehicles and becoming homeless due to rent being unaffordable is unconscionable.

Chapman (D): The state needs to do its part to help inflation. We can look at the entire tax system to ensure it works for everyone, but be mindful of too many cuts that would result in the state having reduced resources to support the public. The state should look at its regulations on local government and industry, keeping those that ensure safety and confidence in the market, while amending or eliminating ones that do not help the people of Arizona. We need to make sure that people can get back into the job market, and with jobs that have a respectable wage and benefits attached to them.

Diehl (I): The cost of living in Arizona is going up. Housing prices are completely irregular, and also a huge factor in cost of living expenses for the average person. The worst thing I could do is propose that the government should begin mandating price fixing on housing. Government housing projects have been repeated failures, and have been for the last 200 years. There is a reason "ghettos" are called "the projects". They destroy minority communities and keep the poor even poorer. Housing is going back down, it always does. Yes, some people might be affected by this but I will not enslave them, and countless more, by causing them to depend on an ineffective state program for survival.

Raymond (D): Yes, Arizona should try and reduce inflation by doing a few things, lowering the costs of medications for lower income families, providing bigger rebates on energy products (smart thermostats, ceiling fans, room air conditioners) and providing more state funding for afterschool programs. I also think one aspect that (exacerbated) inflation is the “shortages” and “supply chain issues” that seemingly every industry had very suddenly run dry. Combating that making sure Arizona economy will continue business as usual without impedances can prevent inflation spikes.

State revenues produced an estimated $5 billion surplus this year. If the trend toward budget surpluses continues, what would you do with the surplus funds?

Diaz (D): We don’t want to go on spending frenzy. It’s always good to have a surplus for unforeseen circumstances such as a disaster. But, at the same time, if our state forests need to be cleared of brush, use some of the surplus. Millions in property and firefighting is lost due to overgrowth as well as the loss of life.

Chapman (D): Arizona has many needs, from infrastructure investments, public education, and ensuring that we have a thriving economy that creates great paying jobs. The governor and state Legislature need to create a long term investment plan for our state’s roads, power grid, water, internet connectivity, and more. We cannot afford to fall further behind. It’s time for targeted investments in our public schools. We have building and staffing needs in our neighborhoods that aren’t being met. The important thing is to build a plan and make strategic decisions, the government’s role is investing money into big ticket items that citizens and companies cannot to improve the lives of all Arizonans.

Diehl (I): Give the money back to the taxpayer, and lower taxes. If $5 billion was money that we absolutely had to spend, for whatever reason, we need water and supply infrastructure. We literally can not live without it. If we start opening up the purse and start handing out checks to all the projects that could use them, I guarantee there will be gross mismanagement of those funds. Everyone will want a bite, and not a single taxpayer will benefit from it. If we build trust with the public that we are willing to give back the money we did not use, the public, as would I, would be more willing to allow occasional tax increases for projects that need extra funding in the future.

Raymond (D): 1. Address the homeless and their health problems. Create more day and night places where they can go to be safe. Create more mobile health-care “trucks” that come out to the community and give free dental checkups, free women’s and men's exams.

2. Create more mental health resources at public schools. Each school needs a dedicated counselor who is skilled at dealing with our mental challenged and disabled children. Instead of expelling or suspending our challenging students, why not give them a resource who they can turn to for help?

3. Fix the broken elderly transportation system. I believe it’s broken because the current system is better than it used to be but it’s so backlogged and runs behind most of the time. The elderly are missing important appointments that could be life or death situations. We need more dedicated drivers and vehicles assigned to this task.

Reach Sam at sam.kmack@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @KmackSam.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Senate District 22: What to know about the write-in candidates