Fabian Danobeytia

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Fabian Danobeytia

Democratic Party

Education

High school

Southgate Academy

Personal

Birthplace

Tucson, Ariz.

Profession

Software development

Contact

Campaign website

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Fabian Danobeytia (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Tucson City Council to represent Ward 5 in Arizona. He did not appear on the ballot for the Democratic primary on August 5, 2025.

Danobeytia completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Fabian Danobeytia was born in Tucson, Arizona. He earned a high school diploma from the Southgate Academy. His career experience includes working in software development.

Elections

2025

See also: City elections in Tucson, Arizona (2025)

General election

General election for Tucson City Council Ward 5

Selina Barajas won election in the general election for Tucson City Council Ward 5 on November 4, 2025.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Selina Barajas (D)	95.1	50,887
		Other/Write-in votes	4.9	2,605

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	There were no incumbents in this race. Source	Total votes: 53,492
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Tucson City Council Ward 5

Selina Barajas defeated Jesse Lugo and Christopher Elsner in the Democratic primary for Tucson City Council Ward 5 on August 5, 2025.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Selina Barajas	58.7	2,422
	Submit photo	Jesse Lugo	32.8	1,353
		Christopher Elsner	8.1	335
		Other/Write-in votes	0.4	15

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 4,125
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Fabian Danobeytia (D)

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Danobeytia in this election.

Campaign themes

2025

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Fabian Danobeytia completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Danobeytia's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

My name is Fabian Danobeytia, and I’m honored to have run as a proud progressive running to represent Ward 5 on the Tucson City Council.

Like many people in Tucson, I come from a family who migrated from another country for a better life. I am the first generation on my father’s side who migrated from Chile. I am the second generation on my mother’s side who migrated from Cuba. I was born in and was raised in Tucson. My father, who noticed my love for technology as a child, did his best to nurture my desire to learn about technology. I now work in this field, testing software to identify and reduce errors. I want to bring those problem-solving ideas to city council.

I’m running because I believe in a Tucson where every working family can afford a home, where immigrants are treated with dignity and respect, and where our economy is working for the working class. I’m running because Ward 5 deserves a leader who advocates for the people over corporate interests.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Affordable Housing for All

  Right now, too many working class families in Tucson are struggling to afford a place to live. Rents are skyrocketing, sometimes increasing by hundreds of dollars at renewal. Home ownership increasingly feels out of reach for many. That’s unacceptable. As your City Council member, I will support policies that:

  • Expand affordable housing programs.
  • Support stronger tenant protections.
  • Streamline development for housing that actually serves working families, not just luxury condos for investors.
  • Encourage legislation to deter investment firms from purchasing single-family homes.
  • Expanding Services for the Unhoused

  No one should be forced to sleep on the streets because they have nowhere else to go. Tucson needs real solutions to homelessness—not to criminalize it, not band-aid fixes, but long-term strategies that give people a path to stability. That’s why I will:

  • Expand funding for transitional housing and emergency shelters.
  • Increase access to mental health services, addiction treatment, and job training programs.
  • Support Alternative Housing Models such as tiny home villages, and co-housing programs.
  We have the power to choose compassion, investment, and solutions that work.
• Fighting for the Working Class For too long, working people in Tucson have been struggling to make ends meet while big corporations and developers rake in record profits. It’s time for a change. As your City Council member, I will:
  • Work to raise wages and protect workers' rights.
  • Expand public transportation so everyone can get to work affordably.
  • Support legislation to prohibit mandatory anti-union meetings.
  I come from a working-class background, and I know the struggles our families face. I’m not here to serve special interests—I’m here to fight for the people.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I believe in a Tucson where every working family can afford a home, where immigrants are treated with dignity and respect, and where our economy is working for the working class. I’m running because Ward 5 deserves a leader who advocates for the people over corporate interests.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

At the core, the most important qualities for an elected official are integrity, empathy, and a commitment to serving the people - not special interests. An elected leader should be someone who listens first, who shows up for their community, and who leads with the needs of the working-class in mind. It takes courage to push back against the status quo, and humility to admit when we need to do better. Above all, I believe elected officials must be transparent, values-driven, and rooted in the everyday experiences of working people. If you aren’t fighting for your most vulnerable constituents, then you aren’t leading, you’re just occupying a seat.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I bring something the political machine can’t manufacture: the audacity to challenge systems that aren’t working for the people. I’ve built my campaign from the ground up - no consultants, no corporate checks, just hard work, heart, and a vision rooted in justice. I’m a systems thinker, a listener, and a problem-solver. I work in technology where my job is to identify errors and fix them. That’s exactly what I intend to do in government. I see where the system is broken, and I refuse to accept that it has to stay that way. I’m not here to play politics as usual, I’m here to shake the foundation and rebuild it to serve working-class people.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I want to leave behind a political awakening. I want people to realize that you don’t have to be wealthy, connected, or handpicked by the establishment to lead your city. I want young people, renters, immigrants, workers and people who’ve been told to sit down and wait their turn, to see that they can take power into their own hands. My legacy isn’t just policy; it’s participation. If after all this, even one person who never thought they belonged in politics steps forward and runs, organizes, or demands better from their government, then I’ll have done my job. I want to spark a movement, not just hold an office.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The first major historical event that happened in my lifetime that I can recall are the events of 9/11. I recall seeing the first tower get hit on the way to school, and the escalation of events while in class.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was at Little Caesars. I started working there about a week after 16, and worked my way up from a crew member to a General Manager, running several locations across Tucson for years.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

Experience in government can be helpful, but it should never be a requirement to serve. What matters more than a resume is your values, your connection to the community, and your willingness to fight for what’s right. We've seen across the country that real change often comes from people outside of traditional political pathways such as people like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who was a bartender before unseating a powerful incumbent, or Summer Lee in Pennsylvania, who came from grassroots organizing. Zohran Mamdani is just the most recent example of a candidate without previous experience that will drive progress. What they shared was a deep understanding of their communities and the courage to speak truth to power. We need more people like that in local office, not fewer.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the local government?

The most important skills for this office are the ability to listen, to understand the daily challenges that residents face, and to turn those insights into action. You just need to care about people and be willing to meet them where they are. As someone who has lived in Ward 5 for over a decade and spent my life in Tucson, I’ve seen how disconnected local government can sometimes become. That’s why I believe the most effective city council members are those who treat listening as their primary responsibility. Pair that with a commitment to accessibility, data-driven decision making, and equity, and you’ve got the foundation for transformative leadership.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Government should never be a mystery to the people it serves. I believe that transparency is a non-negotiable part of public service. Taxpayers deserve to know how their money is being spent, who is influencing decisions behind closed doors, and what outcomes are being delivered with public dollars. Real accountability means opening yourself to public scrutiny, creating space for feedback, and correcting course when needed. As someone who has run a grassroots campaign on a shoestring budget, I know firsthand the value of every dollar. Frugality, honesty, and openness should guide every decision in City Hall.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Tucson City Council Ward 5

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