Zachary Hichez

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

Zachary Hichez

Nonpartisan

Elections and appointments

Last election

July 30, 2024

Education

Other

Mesa Community College, 2021

Personal

Profession

Paramedic

Contact

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Zachary Hichez ran for election to the Mesa City Council to represent District 1 in Arizona. He lost in the primary on July 30, 2024.

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

Biography

Zachary Hichez earned a degree from Mesa Community College in 2021. His career experience includes working as a paramedic. As of his 2024 campaign, Hichez was a member of the Local I-60 union representing EMS personnel in central Arizona.

Elections

2024

See also: City elections in Mesa, Arizona (2024)

General election

General election for Mesa City Council District 1

Rich Adams defeated Ron Williams in the general election for Mesa City Council District 1 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Rich Adams (Nonpartisan)	51.3	12,971
		Ron Williams (Nonpartisan)	48.3	12,211
		Other/Write-in votes	0.5	122

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 25,304
= 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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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Mesa City Council District 1

Rich Adams and Ron Williams defeated Tim Meyer and Zachary Hichez in the primary for Mesa City Council District 1 on July 30, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Rich Adams (Nonpartisan)	33.4	3,795
✔		Ron Williams (Nonpartisan)	29.6	3,370
		Tim Meyer (Nonpartisan)	26.3	2,994
		Zachary Hichez (Nonpartisan)	10.4	1,182
		Other/Write-in votes	0.2	27

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 11,368
= 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 Hichez in this election.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Zachary Hichez completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Hichez'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 Zachary Hichez and I am running to increase access to both public transit and housing. As we get older some of us may no longer be able to drive and I think public transit can play a key role in allowing citizens to continue getting around our city. Secondly, the valley as a whole is experiencing rising costs for housing. I am looking to loosen building codes and zoning restrictions to allow developers to build more and varied housing options.

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?

• Expanding public transit would allow those of us who cannot drive the freedom to move around the city and give more options to those of us who do. Public transit is also good economics. According to the APTA, money spent on public transit has a 5:1 return on investment. The added foot traffic would add potential customers for nearby businesses and reduce wear on our roads.
• The demand for housing is high and supply can’t keep up. I feel this is due to restrictive building policies. Things such as setback requirements, height restrictions, land to building ratios, zoning, and parking minimums dictate what is profitable to build. My hope is that by giving developers more leeway in these areas they will be able to build infill and middle housing, meeting demand and lowering housing prices.
• I believe housing and freedom of movement are the foundation to any great city. We have done a good job so far and I want to do my part in continuing to make Mesa an even better place to live.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I feel very strongly about housing and public transit policy.

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

City Council and other local offices have the most impact on our lives day to day. They deal with the minutiae of governance and are more able to respond to local needs. They are also more accessible to those they represent.

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

I look up to Martin Luther King Jr. and hope to have even 1/1000 of the effect he had. To stand by your principles and have the conviction to stay the course is awe inspiring. To be frank I would be pleased to be a minor footnote in the long march to freedom and equality.

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

I think Gordon Tootoosis put it best. Leadership is about submission to duty, not elevation to power.

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

I do my best to be honest. I don’t like promising things I can’t give. I also prefer action over words. I’d much prefer to do the thing in question than talk about it. I do my best to be kind. We got here be taking care of one another and I’d like to continue that legacy.

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

I believe that the City Council should be focusing on how to keep Mesa resilient. I believe this is primarily done through freedom and choice of movement as well as housing affordability.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Preferably I would like to increase access to public transit and housing but absent that I would want my legacy to be that of kindness and honesty.

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

I was in 1st grade when 9/11 happened. I remember a teacher turning on the news and seeing lots smoke on the screen before we were ushered somewhere else. I knew something was up because the adults looked worried but I figured they’d handle it.

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

My first job was at a call center. I remember being so excited because I had been interviewing for a while. I had that job for about 3 years.

What is your favorite book? Why?

It would have to be The Great Hunt from the Wheel of Time series. I remember staying up past my bed time to read it and being too excited to sleep after.

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

I would want to be Bear from Bear in the Big Blue House. He’s so wise, patient, and kind. He’s what I aspire to be. </p>

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

Hearts on Fire by John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band. My son loves watching the training montage from Rocky IV. Before that it was Life is a Highway by Rascal Flatts because he loved Cars. So basically it’s a song from whatever movie he’s watching.

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

I have struggled with confidence. It’s one of the reasons I admire Martin Luther King. I saw in him that the conviction to do good is more important than belief in oneself.

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

Yes and no. Having experience in anything makes doing that thing easier but inexperience has its own benefits. For one, newcomers have novel ideas, trying different things and finding new solutions.

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

Communication is key. Not just with fellow municipal workers but with other citizens as well. I think each person should have an opportunity to hear what the city is planning.

Tell us your favorite joke.

It’s in Spanish but it goes “Sabes cual dia tienes que cuidar? El dia-tras.”

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

I think there should be full transparency and accountability. Everything a government or official does should be easily accessible by the public if not displayed openly.

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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