Gabriella Cázares-Kelly

Gabriella Cázares-Kelly (Democratic Party) is the Pima County Recorder in Arizona. She assumed office on January 1, 2021. Her current term ends on January 1, 2029.

Cázares-Kelly (Democratic Party) ran for re-election for Pima County Recorder in Arizona. She won in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Cázares-Kelly completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Gabriella Cázares-Kelly was born in Tucson, Arizona. She completed her general education at Pima Community College.^[1] She earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona and a graduate degree from Northern Arizona University. Her career experience includes working as an administrator, classroom teacher, academic advisor, and college career counselor. She has been affiliated with Indivisible Tohono and the Arizona Educators Association.^[2]

Elections

2024

General election

General election for Pima County Recorder

Incumbent Gabriella Cázares-Kelly defeated Dominic Campbell-Gonzalez in the general election for Pima County Recorder on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Gabriella Cázares-Kelly (D)	59.1	284,174
	Submit photo	Dominic Campbell-Gonzalez (R)	40.7	195,668
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	622

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 480,464
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Pima County Recorder

Incumbent Gabriella Cázares-Kelly advanced from the Democratic primary for Pima County Recorder on July 30, 2024.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Gabriella Cázares-Kelly	99.8	101,945
	Other/Write-in votes	0.2	244

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 102,189
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Pima County Recorder

Dominic Campbell-Gonzalez advanced from the Republican primary for Pima County Recorder on July 30, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Dominic Campbell-Gonzalez	99.0	63,500
		Other/Write-in votes	1.0	626

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 64,126
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

To view Cázares-Kelly's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Cázares-Kelly in this election.

2020

General election

General election for Pima County Recorder

Gabriella Cázares-Kelly defeated Benny White in the general election for Pima County Recorder on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Gabriella Cázares-Kelly (D)	58.7	289,932
	Submit photo	Benny White (R)	41.2	203,631
		Other/Write-in votes	0.1	539

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 494,102
= 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.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Pima County Recorder

Gabriella Cázares-Kelly defeated Kim Challender in the Democratic primary for Pima County Recorder on August 4, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Gabriella Cázares-Kelly	64.9	88,284
	Submit photo	Kim Challender	34.9	47,490
		Other/Write-in votes	0.3	355

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 136,129
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Pima County Recorder

Benny White advanced from the Republican primary for Pima County Recorder on August 4, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Benny White	99.2	82,440
		Other/Write-in votes	0.8	633

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 83,073
= 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.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

Gabriella Cázares-Kelly completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Cázares-Kelly's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Gabriella Cázares-Kelly is running for re-election as Pima County Recorder! She’s a lifelong Arizona resident and has served as the elected Pima County Recorder since 2021. She oversees Voter Registration and Early Voting for over 630,000 registered voters and is responsible for the preservation of more than 9 million+ public documents. Gabriella, a member of the Tohono O’odham Nation, is a former educator who was inspired to run for office after encountering many systemic barriers preventing Native American students from simply registering to vote. She is one of four women who co-founded Indivisible Tohono, a grassroots community organization that creates education and civic engagement opportunities for members of her tribe. She is the first Native American to hold a countywide elected seat in Pima County and one of only a handful who have held a countywide seat in the Nation. She remains a dues paying union member in solidarity with her former colleagues and Arizona educators. She holds a B.A. in English Education from the University of Arizona and an M.Ed. in Education Leadership from Northern Arizona University. She lives in Tucson with her husband, Ryan, and their two adult children. In her freetime Gabriella enjoys writing, drawing, and documenting her life as a Trekkie, Xennial, Indigenous politician, 21st Century Native, and regular human being. @GabriellaCKelly

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?

I am running for re-election because I am passionate about Voter Registration and Early Voting. I want to make it easier, faster and more accessible for people to participate in one of our most fundamental rights as Americans. I am particularly concerned with issues that impact rural voters, tribal communities, elders who struggle with voter ID laws, college students who are discouraged from voting and people with felonies who may not know their rights.
I am a fierce defender of voting rights. During my first 4 year term I have repeatedly spoken out against anti-voter legislation and lobbied my legislators to give them a better understanding of the real world impact of their proposed legislation.
I will continue to push forward initiatives that ensure voting is safe, secure and convenient. Voters should be able to participate without having to make huge sacrifices with their time.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am most concerned with equity and it's impact on Voting Rights. We know that systemic barriers between voters and the ballot box still exist. Ensuring that we do everything we can to lessen those impacts and remove those barriers is a huge priority of mine.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Wilma Mankiller, the first woman principal chief of the Cherokee Nation in modern history. She was unapologetic, funny and she talked about the importance of bringing others with her. For me, as a Native American in political spaces, I have access to many spaces that others don't. I don't want to be the only Native American in the room.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

https://19thnews.org/2024/09/how-a-native-elections-official-is-breaking-down-voting-barriers-in-arizona/

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

Being humble enough to learn from others is crucial to the success of an elected official. There is so much to learn and election law is incredibly complex. Not a week goes by that I don't learn something new from my colleagues, from staff or from my voters.

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

I am open to learning, inquisitive, observant, creative and thoughtful. I don't pretend to know everything. I ask a lot of questions and listen to the answers. I have a sense of humor and I value the building of relationships.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

It is the responsibility of the elected to provide the tools necessary for your team to accurately serve the public and to remove barriers from their path as they seek to serve. We're responsible for taking of our staff, ensuring that they're able to continue their important jobs and that they are adequately compensated for their work. I'm responsible for communicating with voters and the media, as well as securing funding for the things we need.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I want to be the source of truth for our community, whether a voter aligns with my politics or not. I want people to know that I am working for them no matter their political affiliation. I want a legacy of change, adaptation, and equity.

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

I was in high school when the Columbine School Shooting occurred. I was 16 years old. The teachers took us outside in a large group and told us what happened without really telling us what happened. A few days later, a classmate started wearing a trench coat to school. Considering it was April and we lived in the desert, it was very much jarring.

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

My very first job I was a summer youth worker at age 14 in the village where I grew up on the Tohono O'odham Nation. I was somehow put in charge of our community's newsletter and had to learn how to use a a fancy electric typewriter. They moved people around to various assignments and eventually the office portion of my job ended and I was sent to go door-to-door to check on elders with other youth workers. We would be given assignments such as cleaning houses or making tortillas. Later, I was a camp counselor at a day camp. I worked with the 11 and 12 year olds. I liked the art room the best.

What is your favorite book? Why?

The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline. It was such a compelling and interesting book. It was a post-apocalyptic book that centered around Native Americans surviving, despite being hunted for their bone marrow. It had a sci-fi-esque element that had me hooked. It was so moving and poetic and interesting and I couldn't put it down. The characters and their relationships were so complex and beautiful. I think about it often and it has inspired me to think about creative writing.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Unsure, but she'd either know how to command a starship if she needed to or swing a lightsaber. Or both.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Linger, by the Cranberries. Embarrassingly, it was stuck in my head so I sang it...only to discover that I was singing the wrong lyrics for 20 years or so.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I prefer not to share. We just met.

Tell us your favorite joke.

Charlie Hill. 1491's. RezDogs. Aunties sitting around a table laughing.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Pima Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO; AFSCME 449, CWA Arizona Statewide Council, UFCW 99, Advanced Native Leadership, Run For Something, Arizona List, Pima Young Dems

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

I believe that we are the stewards of taxpayer dollars and it is our responsibility to spend our dollars wisely. I also believe that it is in our best interests as a county for us to invest in long-term election infrastructure and increasing pay for Election Workers. Investing in our staff and retaining institutional knowledge is crucial to our success.

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.

2020

Gabriella Cázares-Kelly did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

External links

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Candidate

Pima County Recorder

Personal

Footnotes

↑ University of Arizona, "Gabriela Cazares-Kelly," accessed October 11, 2024
↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 8, 2024

[1] University of Arizona, "Gabriela Cazares-Kelly," accessed October 11, 2024

[2] Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 8, 2024

[1]

[2]

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Gabriella Cázares-Kelly

Contents

Biography

Elections

2024

General election

General election for Pima County Recorder

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Pima County Recorder

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Pima County Recorder

Endorsements

2020

General election

General election for Pima County Recorder

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Pima County Recorder

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Pima County Recorder

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

2020

See also

External links

Footnotes

Information about voting

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2024 Election analysis

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