Martin Quezada

Martin Quezada

Nonpartisan

Pendergast Elementary School District, At-large

Tenure

2010 - Present

Term ends

2027

Years in position

15

Prior offices

Arizona House of Representatives District 29

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Arizona State Senate District 29

Successor: Janae Shamp

Predecessor: Steve Gallardo

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Report an officeholder change

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 8, 2022

Education

Associate

Glendale Community College, 1998

Bachelor's

Arizona State University, West, 2001

Law

Arizona State University, Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, 2008

Personal

Birthplace

Phoenix, Ariz.

Religion

Catholic

Profession

Attorney

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Campaign Instagram

Personal LinkedIn

Martin Quezada is an at-large member of the Pendergast Elementary School District in Arizona. He assumed office in 2010. His current term ends on January 1, 2027.

Quezada won re-election for an at-large seat of the Pendergast Elementary School District in Arizona outright after the general election on November 8, 2022, was canceled.

Quezada (Democratic Party) also ran for election for Arizona Treasurer. He lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.

Quezada completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.

Quezada previously served in the Arizona House of Representatives, representing District 29 from March 2, 2012, to 2015. He was appointed by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors.

Biography

Email editor@ballotpedia.org to notify us of updates to this biography.

Quezada was born in Phoenix, Arizona. He earned an associate degree from Glendale Community College in 1998. Quezada earned a bachelor's degree from Arizona State University in 2001 and a law degree from the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University in 2008. His professional experience includes owning his own law firm—the Law Office of Martin J. Quezada, PLLC. Quezada also served as a legislative research analyst for the Democratic Caucus of the Arizona State Senate and the Arizona House of Representatives.

While attending Arizona State University, Quezada was the President of the ASU Chicano/Latino Law Students Association from 2006 to 2007. He also served in the Graduate & Professional Students Association and received the Congressman Ed Pastor Outstanding Graduate Student Award at the 2008 Hispanic Convocation.

Quezada worked in a judicial clerkship from 2008 to 2009 under Patricia Orozco, a judge in the Arizona Court of Appeals. He has served on the ASU Los Diablos Latino Alumni Association, the Maryvale Village Planning Committee, the West Phoenix Revitalization Community Advisory Board, and the Los Abogados Hispanic Bar Association Board of Directors. In 2009, he was named a Univision Radio/AZ Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Top 40 Hispanic Leader Under Age 40.

Elections

2022

Treasurer

See also: Arizona Treasurer election, 2022

General election

General election for Arizona Treasurer

Incumbent Kimberly Yee defeated Martin Quezada in the general election for Arizona Treasurer on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Kimberly Yee (R)	55.7	1,390,135
		Martin Quezada (D)	44.3	1,107,037

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,497,172
= 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 Arizona Treasurer

Martin Quezada advanced from the Democratic primary for Arizona Treasurer on August 2, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Martin Quezada	100.0	554,186

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 554,186
= 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.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Arizona Treasurer

Incumbent Kimberly Yee defeated Jeff Weninger and Robert Lettieri in the Republican primary for Arizona Treasurer on August 2, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Kimberly Yee	56.4	423,456
		Jeff Weninger	27.1	203,751
		Robert Lettieri	16.5	123,574

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 750,781
= 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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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• David Livingston (R)
• Regina Cobb (R)

Endorsements

To view Quezada's endorsements in the 2022 election, please click here.

School board

See also: Pendergast Elementary School District, Arizona, elections (2022)

General election

The general election was canceled. Martin Quezada (Nonpartisan) and Susan Serin (Nonpartisan) won without appearing on the ballot.

State Senate

See also: Arizona State Senate elections, 2022

Martin Quezada was not able to file for re-election due to term limits.

2020

See also: Arizona State Senate elections, 2020

General election

General election for Arizona State Senate District 29

Incumbent Martin Quezada defeated John Wilson and Charles Carpenter in the general election for Arizona State Senate District 29 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Martin Quezada (D)	70.4	41,272
	Submit photo	John Wilson (R)	29.5	17,305
	Submit photo	Charles Carpenter (L) (Write-in)	0.0	18

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 58,595
= 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.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Arizona State Senate District 29

Incumbent Martin Quezada advanced from the Democratic primary for Arizona State Senate District 29 on August 4, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Martin Quezada	100.0	12,053

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 12,053
= 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.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Arizona State Senate District 29

John Wilson advanced from the Republican primary for Arizona State Senate District 29 on August 4, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	John Wilson	100.0	5,400

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 5,400
= 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.

2018

State Senate

See also: Arizona State Senate elections, 2018

Charles Carpenter (R) ran as a write-in candidate.

General election

General election for Arizona State Senate District 29

Incumbent Martin Quezada won election in the general election for Arizona State Senate District 29 on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Martin Quezada (D)	99.6	29,003
		Other/Write-in votes	0.4	124

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 29,127 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= 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.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Arizona State Senate District 29

Incumbent Martin Quezada advanced from the Democratic primary for Arizona State Senate District 29 on August 28, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Martin Quezada	100.0	8,457

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 8,457 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= 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.

Pendergast school board

See also: Pendergast Elementary School District elections (2018)

General election

General election for Pendergast Elementary School District, At-large (2 seats)

Incumbent Martin Quezada and incumbent Susan Serin defeated Edgar Heriberto Martinez and incumbent Alan Gaugert in the general election for Pendergast Elementary School District, At-large on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Martin Quezada (Nonpartisan)	32.8	7,654
✔		Susan Serin (Nonpartisan)	29.3	6,831
	Submit photo	Edgar Heriberto Martinez (Nonpartisan)	21.5	5,012
		Alan Gaugert (Nonpartisan)	16.4	3,815

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 23,312
= 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.

2016

See also: Arizona State Senate elections, 2016

Elections for the Arizona State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election took place on August 30, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was June 1, 2016.

Incumbent Martin Quezada defeated Crystal Nuttle in the Arizona State Senate District 29 general election.

Arizona State Senate, District 29 General Election, 2016
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Martin Quezada Incumbent	68.52%	29,638
	Republican	Crystal Nuttle	31.48%	13,615
Total Votes				43,253
Source: Arizona Secretary of State

Incumbent Martin Quezada defeated Lydia Hernandez in the Arizona State Senate District 29 Democratic Primary.

Arizona State Senate, District 29 Democratic Primary, 2016
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Martin Quezada Incumbent	66.17%	4,661
	Democratic	Lydia Hernandez	33.83%	2,383
Total Votes				7,044

Crystal Nuttle ran unopposed in the Arizona State Senate District 29 Republican Primary.

Arizona State Senate, District 29 Republican Primary, 2016
Party		Candidate
	Republican	Crystal Nuttle  (unopposed)

This candidate ran in one of Ballotpedia's races to watch in 2016. Read more »

Endorsements

In 2016, Quezada's endorsements included the following:

• AFSCME Local 2384
• AZ Academy of Family Physicians
• AZ AFL-CIO
• AZ Association of Realtors Pac
• AZ Education Association

• AZ National Organization for Women PAC
• AZ Nurses Association
• AZ State Fraternal Order of Police
• The Cartwright Elementary School District Education Association
• IBEW Local 640 PAC

2014

Senate District 29

See also: Arizona State Senate elections, 2014

Elections for the Arizona State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on August 26, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was May 28, 2014. Martin Quezada defeated Lydia Hernandez in the Democratic primary. Crystal Nuttle was unopposed in the Republican primary. Quezada defeated Nuttle in the general election.

Arizona State Senate District 29, General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Martin Quezada	60.3%	12,133
	Republican	Crystal Nuttle	39.7%	8,002
Total Votes				20,135

Arizona State Senate, District 29 Democratic Primary, 2014

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Martin Quezada	50.7%	3,342
Lydia Hernández	49.3%	3,252
Total Votes		6,594

Endorsements

In 2014, Quezada's endorsements included the following:

• Senate Minority Leader Anna Tovar
• Senate Assistant Minority Leader Lynne Pancrazi
• Senate Minority Whip Steve Gallardo
• Senator Ed Ableser
• Senator Katie Hobbs
• Senator David Bradley
• Senator Steve Farley

PESD Governing Board

See also: Pendergast Elementary School District elections (2014)The Pendergast Governing Board had three at-large seats up for election on November 4, 2014. Two of the seats were regular four-year terms. Incumbents Martin J. Quezada and Susan Serin faced write-in challengers Consuelo Aduana Pambid-Stout and Edgar G. Hernandez-Galaviz in the race for the four-year terms.

The third seat, a two-year term, was open because of a vacancy on the board that was filled by Jose Jesus Arenas in April 2013. Because the vacancy was for a seat with more than two years left on its unexpired term, the seat had to be filled by an elected member at this general election. Arenas ran unopposed to fulfill the remainder of this unexpired term. The Maricopa County Education Service Agency recommended that the election be cancelled and that Arenas be appointed to retain their seats on the governing board by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. The board of supervisors elected to do so at their September 10, 2014, meeting.

Results

Pendergast Elementary School District, At-Large General Election, 4-year term, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Nonpartisan	Martin J. Quezada Incumbent	50.5%	5,213
	Nonpartisan	Susan Serin Incumbent	49.1%	5,065
	Nonpartisan	Consuelo Aduana Pambid-Stout	0.2%	25
	Nonpartisan	Edgar G. Hernandez-Galaviz	0.1%	10
Total Votes				10,313
Source: Maricopa County, "Official Combined Results," accessed December 29, 2014 • Maricopa County, "Write-in Canvass," accessed December 29, 2014

Endorsements

Quezada did not receive any official endorsements for his governing board campaign.

2012

See also: Arizona House of Representatives elections, 2012

Quezada won re-election in the 2012 election for Arizona House of Representatives District 29. He amd Lydia Hernandez defeated Martin Samaniego in the Democratic primary on August 28, 2012. He won the general election on November 6, 2012.

Arizona House of Representatives, District 29, General Election, 2012

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Lydia Hernandez	52%	21,870
	Democratic	Martin J. Quezada Incumbent	48%	20,150
Total Votes				42,020

Arizona House of Representatives, District 29 Democratic Primary, 2012

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Martin Quezada Incumbent	36%	3,336
Lydia Hernandez	35.2%	3,262
Martin Samaniego	28.9%	2,681
Total Votes		9,279

2010

Quezada was elected without opposition to the Pendergast Elementary School District Governing Board in the 2010 election.

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Martin Quezada completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Quezada'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.

I’m a Phoenix native who has spent my career fighting for the values that uplift our communities. I’m running for Arizona State Treasurer to continue fighting for the people, especially now as women’s rights continue to be under attack–when elected I will continue my commitment to advocating for the rights of all people. I’ll ensure that the management of Arizona’s taxpayer dollars reflect the values of the people, rather than a few narrow special interests.

I’m a proud product of Arizona’s public schools and continue to support public education through my role as Vice President of the Pendergast School Board. As a first-generation college student, I earned degrees from Glendale Community College and Arizona State University West before earning my J.D. from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University.

In 2014 I was first elected to the Arizona State Senate and was re-elected in 2016, 2018 and 2020. While in the Senate, I was elected three times to serve in Leadership as the Democratic Whip and sat as the Ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee and Senate Rules Committee.

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?

• My opponent has used the State Treasurer’s office as a political platform to leverage a run for higher office, to Tweet out her extreme anti-choice views, and to pick and choose her political favorites to invest in–as your Treasurer I will work on behalf of Arizonans and use all available information to help put money back in the pockets of taxpayers.
• The people of Arizona deserve someone who believes that their taxpayer dollars aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet to move around to advance a political partisan agenda. These dollars represent your values, they represent your future, and they represent the things that we care about in Arizona.
• The state treasurer earns a full-time salary paid by taxpayers — our current state treasurer isn’t working full-time to earn it. I’m committed to working full-time to ensure Arizonans get more money back in their pockets.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Transparency – I will bring ethics, professionalism and transparency to the Treasurer’s Office by being an advocate for the responsible use of all taxpayer dollars and by creating an investment portfolio that benefits taxpayers first, not special interests.

Education – I’m committed to prioritizing an investment strategy that maximizes income for schools as well as prioritizing financial literacy efforts to ensure everyone has the resources to succeed and the opportunity to prosper.

Investing in our Future – Our Arizonan values start with the responsible management and investment of our taxpayer dollars. I will ensure our investments reflect those values, rather than serving special interests.

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

Safety. This is the most important principle I will abide by when it comes to investing Arizonans’ hard-earned tax dollars. I will welcome any and all evaluations of risk in creating our investment portfolio. We cannot afford to waste taxpayer dollars by refusing to evaluate risk.

Evaluation. I will make sure the rate of return on investments (also known as the yield) is at the
highest profit margin possible. It is the responsibility of this office to give taxpayers the highest
rate of return possible. I will not make financial decisions based off of personal politics.

Sound executive management. The State Treasurer earns a full-time salary paid by taxpayers - our current State Treasurer isn’t working full-time to earn it. I’m committed to working full-time to ensure Arizonans get more money back in their pockets.

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

Martin Quezada completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Quezada'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.

Martín was born and raised in the West Valley district that he now represents in the State Senate. Education gave Martín hope for a better future and a path to achieve it. Martín attended public schools in the Peoria Unified School District, and later earned degrees from Glendale Community College, Arizona State University and ASU's Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law.

After working as a research analyst at the State Legislature and graduating from law school, Martín served a judicial clerkship on the AZ Court of Appeals and started his own law practice before re-entering the political world as a candidate. Martín was elected to the Pendergast School Board in 2010 and was re-elected in 2014 and 2018. He was appointed to the AZ House of Representatives in 2012 and was elected to represent District 29 later that year. In 2014, Martín was elected to the State Senate and was re-elected in 2016 and 2018.

Martín's service to his community both in and out of public office has been recognized multiple times over, though his greatest pride is serving as the voice of the people of Maryvale and Glendale in District 29 in the State Senate.

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?

• Senator Quezada will be a vote for fully funded public schools.
• Senator Quezada will be a vote for reform of our criminal injustice system.
• Senator Quezada will be a vote for healthcare for all as a human right.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about many issues.

As a 10-year elected school board member and product of AZ's public K-12 schools, community college and university system, AZ's public education is a personal passion that provided me many opportunities.

As a practicing attorney, the criminal injustice system from law enforcement to our prison system needs to be reformed.

As one of millions of Arizonans who are living with a pre-existing condition, I've seen our health care system fail me and my community. Health care should be a human right available to all. Instead it's a system that prioritizes profit above human health.

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

There are many people who I look up to, in both my professional and personal lives. They all share a few characteristics in common. They are values-based, loyal and selfless. I try to emulate those same characteristics.

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

I have created my political philosophy from many books I've read and re-read over the years. Most recently, given everything happening in the world, I've re-read How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi; Dog Whistle Politics by Ian Haney Lopez; Brown is the New White by Steve Phillips; & The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho among many many others.

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

Honesty, loyalty, courage.

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

My devotion and loyalty to the people of my district is my best quality. My ability to work harder than others in doing background research and preparation for any/every vote.

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

The core responsibilities are to be a voice and a vote for the values of the people of Legislative District #29 while still doing what's best for the State of AZ as a whole. The person who holds this office shouldn't be using it as a stepping stone to something else and should be willing to sacrifice his/her own political career on a vote that would benefit the people of LD29.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like to leave a legacy of being a humble servant to my district who acted with passion and strength for unapologetic progressive-minded values that reflected the beliefs of the people of my district.

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

The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. I was 12 years old at that time.

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

My first official job was working for a water-park as a general helper, cook, bus-boy, etc. I had that job for only 1 summer.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Tough question. It depends what kind of book I want to read. I'd likely say Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist is consistently up near the top.

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

Rage Against the Machine, People of the Sun

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

Maintaining balance, which has made it harder to maintain successful personal relationships.

Every state besides Nebraska has two legislative chambers. What do you consider the most important differences between the legislative chambers in your state?

AZ's 2 legislative chambers don't h ave the beneficial differences that other states do. In practice, in AZ the ONLY difference between the 2 chambers is the size of their membership. I believe a Senate chamber should have fewer members, but believe there should be other differences that AZ does not have as well.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Yes, it's beneficial, but not necessary. I have a small amount of previous government experience but even that allowed me to hit the ground running as an elected official instead of taking an entire term to learn the procedures, culture and personalities of everyone involved.

What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?

Funding for K-12 public schools. We have been ranked at or near the bottom of the nation in per pupil funding for the past decade so it'll take us some time to get back to a respectable level of funding again. In the meantime, there are children who will suffer.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature?

Ideally, a governor and the legislature would be working in tandem to govern the state of AZ. That would mean constant communication and interaction between the 2 branches in order to push an agreed upon agenda that works for all Arizonans.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Of course. Building relationships with other decision-makers is always beneficial. Relationships are required to develop trust which is needed to advance agendas on topics that are controversial or divisive.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

I believe AZ's redistricting process is one of the better ones in the nation. Any system that removes the ability of lawmakers themselves to select their voters by drawing their own district lines rather than allowing voters to choose their lawmakers from districts that are created in fair and transparent ways is preferable.

In AZ, the only weakness is the size of the IRC (Independent Redistricting Commission) is too small and the membership should be expanded from 5 to at least 9.

If you are a current legislator, what appealed to you about your current committees?

Judiciary - I have been the only licensed attorney in our Senate Democratic Caucus for the past 5 1/2 years. I studied criminal justice in college; I've clerked on the AZ Court of Appeals; and I'm a practicing lawyer today. This committee is a natural fit for my background and skill set.

Finance - I agreed to sit on this committee to develop a stronger understanding of AZ's tax code with the hopes of creating one that is more equitable and just.

Education - I am a product of AZ's public schools, I have taught in our public schools, and I serve as an elected School Board Member in a K-8 school district.

If you are not currently a member of your party’s leadership in the legislature, would you be interested in joining the leadership? If so, in what role?

Yes. I have served in leadership in the past. I served as the Democratic Whip from 2014-2018. I would be interested in serving in leadership again to help bring a more structured and strategic approach to governance.

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

I have modeled myself after parts of several lawmakers who have served my community before I did. Current County Supervisor Steve Gallardo held the Senate seat I have now before he ran for the County Board. Former State Representative and Democratic Leader John Loredo served my community in the House of Representatives and former Senator Joe Eddie Lopez all represented the area I represent now. They were all members who I watched and learned from.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

Possibly. I have never acted in a way that prepared myself for a run for a higher office. I have instead always focused on making the most of the office I have now.

With that said, it makes sense through my work as a Senator that I interact with elected officials in other offices, including some roles that I believe I would be effective at if I had the opportunity to serve there.

For me personally, my years advocating for Arizonans' voting rights would make the Secretary of State's office a good fit, or staying within the Legislative Branch but moving up to the federal level and serving in Congress would be an opportunity that I'd take advantage of.

But to clarify, at this point in time, my focus is 100% on serving as the State Senator for the people of Legislative District #29.

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

I've heard many stories over the years of campaigning and serving in elected office. The most memorable ones involve the struggles that my constituents face as a result of the failure of the government to enact policies that serve them.

The one I hear most often is from neighbors who I run into at the pharmacy week after week who also have pre-existing conditions and are paying substantial amounts of money for their prescriptions. I see people who have to travel out of country to purchase prescriptions they can afford, or they take the even worse alternative of rationing the prescriptions they have now until they are able to afford to purchase more.

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.

2014

Quezada's campaign website highlighted the following issues:

Responsible Investment in Public Education

• Excerpt: "...responsible investment in our schools and our kids;"
• Excerpt: "...focus on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM);"
• Excerpt: "responsible support for teachers to ensure they have the resources and professional development necessary to implement updated standards in the classroom"

Economic Development and Creation of Good Paying Jobs

• Excerpt: "He will work to attract higher paying jobs to our district and our state;"
• Excerpt: "He will ensure that all working families are able to earn a living wage so that they may provide for their families."
• Excerpt: "He will also be a champion for equal pay to ensure that women are able to earn the same wages as their equally qualified male counterparts in the workforce."

Protecting your Constitutional Rights

• Excerpt: "Martin will ensure your path to the ballot box is kept free from unnecessary obstructions and obstacles and will work to make the voting experience easier and more accessible to all eligible voters."
• Excerpt: "Martin will be a champion for equal rights for ALL regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, disability, or sexuality."
• Excerpt: "Martin will continue to be the #1 fighter against efforts to harass, intimidate and demonize the immigrant population and be a voice for comprehensive immigration reform and the humane treatment of any who are victims of the broken system or dangerous homeland conditions."

2012

Quezada's website highlighted the following campaign themes:

• Education

Excerpt: "Increase the state’s investment in our children so kids can compete for jobs."

• Economic Development

Excerpt: "An education workforce will help develop a stronger economy."

• Protecting the Vulnerable

Excerpt: "Prevent the abuse of children, women and the elderly."

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Martin Quezada campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2022	Arizona Treasurer	Lost general	$339,293	$293,632
2020	Arizona State Senate District 29	Won general	$32,581	N/A**
2018	Arizona State Senate District 29	Won general	$36,052	N/A**
2016	Arizona State Senate, District 29	Won	$91,037	N/A**
2014	Arizona State Senate, District 29	Won	$43,392	N/A**
2012	Arizona State House, District 29	Won	$15,697	N/A**
2010	Arizona State House, District 13	Lost	$24,450	N/A**
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

State legislative tenure

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards and State legislative scorecards in Arizona

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Arizona scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.

2022

In 2022, the Arizona State Legislature was in session from January 10 to June 25.

• Arizona Free Enterprise Club: Senate and House

Legislators are scored on their votes on the association's policy platform.

• Center for Arizona Policy Action: Senate and House

Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to family issues.

• Children's Action Alliance

Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to family issues.

• Club for Growth Foundation

Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.

• Humane Voters of Arizona

Legislators are scored on their stances on animal issues.

• National Federation of Independent Business

Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.

• Progress Arizona

Legislators are scored on their votes on the association's policy platform.

• Secular Coalition for Arizona

Legislators are scored on their stances on secular policy.

• Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter

Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental policy.

• The American Conservative Union

Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

• The Arizona Center for Economic Progress

Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic policy.

2021

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show].

In 2021, the Arizona State Legislature was in session from January 11 to June 30. Children's Action Alliance Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to family issues. Club for Growth Foundation Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues. Humane Voters of Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on animal issues. Secular Coalition for Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on secular policy. Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental policy. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2020

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show].

In 2020, the Arizona State Legislature was in session from January 13 to May 26. Club for Growth Foundation Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues. Humane Voters of Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on animal issues. National Federation of Independent Business Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues. Secular Coalition for Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on secular policy. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2019

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show].

In 2019, the Arizona State Legislature was in session from January 14 through May 28. Center for Arizona Policy: Senate and House Voting Records Legislators' votes are recorded by the Center for Arizona Policy on bills related to family issues. Humane Voters of Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on animal issues. Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental policy. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2018

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show].

In 2018, the 54th Arizona State Legislature was in session from January 8 through May 4. Center for Arizona Policy: Senate and House Voting Records Legislators' votes are recorded by the Center for Arizona Policy on bills related to family issues. Children's Action Alliance Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to family issues. Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental policy. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2017

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show].

In 2017, the 53rd Arizona State Legislature was in session from January 9 through May 4. Americans for Prosperity Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on conservative fiscal policy. Center for Arizona Policy: Senate and House Voting Records Legislators' votes are recorded by the Center for Arizona Policy on bills related to family issues. Children's Action Alliance Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to family issues. Humane Voters of Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on animal issues. Secular Coalition for Arizona: Senate and House Voting Records Legislators are scored on their stances on secular policy. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues. Tucson Metro Chamber Legislators are scored on their support of business policies.

2016

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show].

In 2016, the 52nd Arizona State Legislature was in session from January 11 through May 7. Americans for Prosperity Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on conservative fiscal policy. Arizona Small Business Association Legislators are scored on their votes on ASBA's legislative priority bills. Center for Arizona Policy: Senate and House Voting Records Legislators' votes are recorded by the Center for Arizona Policy on bills related to family issues. Children's Action Alliance Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to family issues. Humane Voters of Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on animal issues. National Federation of Independent Business Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues. Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on policies related to reproductive health issues. Secular Coalition for Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on secular policy. Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental policy. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues. Tucson Metro Chamber Legislators are scored on their support of business policies.

2015

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show].

In 2015, the 52nd Arizona State Legislature was in session from January 12 to April 2. Americans for Prosperity Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on conservative fiscal policy. Arizona Republican Assembly Legislators are scored on how they vote in relation to the Republican Party platform. Arizona Small Business Association Legislators are scored on their votes on ASBA's legislative priority bills. Center for Arizona Policy: Senate and House Voting Records Legislators' votes are recorded by the Center for Arizona Policy on bills related to family issues. Legislators' votes are recorded by the Center for Arizona Policy on bills related to family issues. Children's Action Alliance Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to family issues. Humane Voters of Arizona Humane Voters of Arizona] Legislators are scored on their stances on animal issues. Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona Legislators were scored on their stances on policies related to reproductive health issues. Secular Coalition for Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on secular policy. Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental policy. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2014

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show].

In 2014, the 51st Arizona State Legislature was in session from January 13 to April 24. Arizona Small Business Association Legislators are scored on their votes on ASBA's legislative priority bills. Humane Voters of Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on animal issues. National Federation of Independent Business in Arizona Legislators are scored on their votes on small business issues. Secular Coalition for Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on secular policy. Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental policy. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2013

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show].

In 2013, the 51st Arizona State Legislature was in session from January 14 to June 14. Arizona Free Enterprise Club - Senate and House Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association Legislators are scored on their stances on conservative fiscal policy. Arizona Small Business Association Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to small business issues. Goldwater Institute Legislators are scored on their votes related to policies concerning the size of government. Humane Voters of Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on animal issues. Secular Coalition for Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on secular policy.

Sponsored legislation

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.

Committee assignments

Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.

2021-2022

Quezada was assigned to the following committees:

• Government Committee
• Senate Judiciary and Elections Committee
• Senate Rules Committee

2019-2020

Quezada was assigned to the following committees:

• Senate Education and Transportation Committee
• Finance Committee
• Senate Judiciary and Elections Committee
• Senate Rules Committee

2017 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:

Arizona committee assignments, 2017
• Appropriations
• Judiciary
• Rules

2015 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Quezada served on the following committees:

Arizona committee assignments, 2015
• Government
• Judiciary
• Rules

2013-2014

At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Quezada served on the following committees:

Arizona committee assignments, 2013
• Government
• Judiciary
• Rules
• Audit

2011-2012

In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Quezada served on these committees:

Arizona committee assignments, 2011
• Banking and Insurance
• Rules

See also

2022 Elections

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Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Steve Gallardo (D)	Arizona State Senate District 29 2015-2023	Succeeded by Janae Shamp (R)
Preceded by -	Arizona House of Representatives District 29 2012-2015	Succeeded by -
Preceded by -	Pendergast Elementary School District, At-large 2010-Present	Succeeded by -

[show]

Current members of the Arizona State Senate

Leadership

Senate President:Warren Petersen

Majority Leader:Janae Shamp

Minority Leader:Priya Sundareshan

Senators

District 1

Mark Finchem (R)

District 2

Shawnna Bolick (R)

District 3

John Kavanagh (R)

District 4

Carine Werner (R)

District 5

Lela Alston (D)

District 6

Theresa Hatathlie (D)

District 7

Wendy Rogers (R)

District 8

Lauren Kuby (D)

District 9

Kiana Sears (D)

District 10

David Farnsworth (R)

District 11

Catherine Miranda (D)

District 12

Denise Epstein (D)

District 13

Javan Mesnard (R)

District 14

Warren Petersen (R)

District 15

Jake Hoffman (R)

District 16

Thomas Shope (R)

District 17

Vince Leach (R)

District 18

Priya Sundareshan (D)

District 19

David Gowan (R)

District 20

Sally Gonzales (D)

District 21

Rosanna Gabaldón (D)

District 22

Eva Diaz (D)

District 23

Brian Fernandez (D)

District 24

Analise Ortiz (D)

District 25

Tim Dunn (R)

District 26

Flavio Bravo (D)

District 27

Kevin Payne (R)

District 28

Frank Carroll (R)

District 29

Janae Shamp (R)

District 30

Hildy Angius (R)

Republican Party (17)

Democratic Party (13)