Sadie Shaw

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Sadie Shaw

Nonpartisan

Tucson Unified School District, At-large

Tenure

2021 - Present

Term ends

2029

Years in position

4

Report an officeholder change

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 5, 2024

Education

High school

Amphitheater High School

Bachelor's

University of Arizona, 2019

Personal

Birthplace

Tucson, Ariz.

Profession

Administrator

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

Sadie Shaw is an at-large member of the Tucson Unified School District in Arizona. She assumed office on January 1, 2021. Her current term ends on January 1, 2029.

Shaw (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Tucson City Council to represent Ward 3 in Arizona. She lost in the Democratic primary on August 5, 2025.

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

Biography

Sadie Shaw was born in Tucson, Arizona. She earned a high school diploma from Amphitheater High School and a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona in 2019. Her career experience includes working as an administrator. Shaw has served as a Neighborhood Association President and a community organizer. She has been affiliated with the Sugar Hill Neighborhood Association and the League of Women Voters of Greater Tucson.

Elections

2025

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

General election

General election for Tucson City Council Ward 3

Incumbent Kevin Dahl and Janet Wittenbraker are running in the general election for Tucson City Council Ward 3 on November 4, 2025.

		Candidate
		Kevin Dahl (D)
		Janet Wittenbraker (R)

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Tucson City Council Ward 3

Incumbent Kevin Dahl defeated Sadie Shaw in the Democratic primary for Tucson City Council Ward 3 on August 5, 2025.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Kevin Dahl	50.0	3,296
		Sadie Shaw	49.7	3,277
		Other/Write-in votes	0.3	20

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 6,593
= 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 Tucson City Council Ward 3

Janet Wittenbraker advanced from the Republican primary for Tucson City Council Ward 3 on August 5, 2025.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Janet Wittenbraker	97.7	1,513
		Other/Write-in votes	2.3	36

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,549
= 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.

Endorsements

Shaw received the following endorsements. To send us additional endorsements, click here.

• Arizona Working Families Party
• AFSCME Arizona
• CWA Local 7000
• Pima County Young Democrats
• Tucson Chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America
• UA College Dems

2024

See also: Tucson Unified School District, Arizona, elections (2024)

General election

General election for Tucson Unified School District, At-large (3 seats)

Incumbent Natalie Luna Rose, incumbent Sadie Shaw, and incumbent Ravi Shah defeated Pilar Acosta Ruiz and Esteban Flores in the general election for Tucson Unified School District, At-large on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Natalie Luna Rose (Nonpartisan)	26.1	106,155
✔		Sadie Shaw (Nonpartisan)	22.2	90,107
✔	Submit photo	Ravi Shah (Nonpartisan)	19.4	78,903
	Submit photo	Pilar Acosta Ruiz (Nonpartisan)	16.8	68,414
		Esteban Flores (Nonpartisan)	14.8	60,003
		Other/Write-in votes	0.7	2,945

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 406,527
= 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.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Shaw in this election.

2020

See also: Tucson Unified School District, Arizona, elections (2020)

General election

General election for Tucson Unified School District, At-large (3 seats)

The following candidates ran in the general election for Tucson Unified School District, At-large on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Natalie Luna Rose (Nonpartisan)	23.8	108,477
✔		Sadie Shaw (Nonpartisan)	17.7	80,898
✔	Submit photo	Ravi Shah (Nonpartisan)	16.8	76,566
		Adam Ragan (Nonpartisan)	15.8	72,229
	Submit photo	Cindy Winston (Nonpartisan)	13.9	63,410
	Submit photo	Nicolas Pierson (Nonpartisan)	10.9	49,912
	Submit photo	Cristina Mennella (Nonpartisan) (Write-in)	0.4	1,959
		Other/Write-in votes	0.6	2,548

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 455,999
= 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

2025

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Sadie Shaw completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Shaw'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.

Sadie Shaw is an artist, arts administrator, neighborhood organizer, and oral historian. She is a graduate of Amphitheater High School and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art & Visual Culture Education from the University of Arizona.

​ In 2024, Sadie was reelected to the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board, where she advocates for the arts, improving student outcomes, supporting all employees, and promoting accountability, transparency and fiscal responsibility within the district.

She currently serves on the Tucson Juneteenth Festival Board and previously held a board position with the League of Women Voters of Greater Tucson. Professionally, she is the Public Art and Community Design Administrator at the Arts Foundation for Tucson and Southern Arizona.

Sadie has been deeply involved in community advocacy, serving as President of the Sugar Hill Neighborhood Association from 2018 to 2020 and currently serves as Vice President. Her work focuses on empowering residents, preserving the neighborhood’s history through oral histories and public art.

Through her artistic practice, community engagement and political activism, Sadie challenges the status quo and works to create meaningful change. She remains a passionate advocate for the arts, public education, neighborhood preservation, labor rights, and the people of Tucson.

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 committed to amplifying the voices of Tucson's Ward 3 residents by fostering inclusive community engagement and open government. My campaign prioritizes transparency, accountability, and putting the community’s concerns at the top of the agenda—ensuring every constituent feels heard, represented, and valued in the decision-making process.
• Creating effective, compassionate solutions to Tucson's homelessness crisis is one of my top priorities. I will work collaboratively with local organizations, advocates, and residents to implement housing-first strategies, improve access to support services, and address root causes such as mental health and economic instability.
• I am dedicated to allocating resources equitably across Ward 3 and the entire City of Tucson—especially in historically underfunded neighborhoods. Every community deserves well-maintained parks, safe streets and neighborhoods, and access to vital city services. My focus is on ensuring that these basic needs are met through fair distribution of city resources and by uplifting the areas that have been overlooked for far too long.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am deeply committed to advancing affordable housing and economic security for all Tucsonans, because I’ve lived the reality of what so many in our community are going through. I’ve been evicted. I’ve had to decide which bills to pay and which to delay just to afford groceries. I’ve had my lights, water, and gas shut off, and I’ve survived more than one summer in Tucson without air conditioning. These experiences fuel my passion to fight for people who are living on the edge—most of us are one crisis away from losing everything. I know firsthand how quickly things can spiral from one bad month or unexpected setback. I believe in building a city that provides stable housing and real economic opportunities so that every Tucsonan can thrive.

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

Integrity, grit, courage, and independence. Leaders should do what's right—even when it's hard—and never lose sight of who they serve.

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

To represent and serve all constituents by listening, responding, and taking action. Elected officials take an oath to serve the people—not themselves—and that oath should guide every decision.

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

My first historical event was 9/11. I remember watching it live on the Today Show when I was getting ready for school at 11 years old. It was definitely a pivotal moment that changed me as much as it changed the nation.

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

I got my first job at 14, working as a runner at Ghini’s French Café. I spent three years serving drinks and bussing tables before moving up to waitress, and in total, I worked there for about six years. That experience taught me the value of hard work, sharpened my interpersonal skills, and helped me come out of my shell. I’m incredibly grateful for that opportunity—it shaped who I am today.

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

Mr. Miyagi from the Karate Kid

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

Yes. As a two-term school board member overseeing a $500 million budget, I understand how to navigate public systems. Experience with open meeting law and parliamentary procedure is essential for effective, lawful governance.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

Critical thinking, independent judgment, and the courage to speak up—especially when it's uncomfortable—are essential. It's not enough to simply accept what you're told; you need to do your own research, ask tough questions, and be willing to challenge authority when it's in the public’s interest. he most effective leaders in this office will be those who can stand firm, think independently, and act with integrity, even when it means going against the grain.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

TBA

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

City finances and decisions should be fully accessible to the public. Transparency is non-negotiable, and regular forensic audits should be standard to eliminate waste and ensure accountability across every department.

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.

2024

Sadie Shaw did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

2020

Sadie Shaw did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

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