Now that the candidates for both Peoria’s mayoral and city council elections have been firmly established, it’s time to get to know them better.
The city has two competitive races for the city council in the Nov. 8 general election, and the Peoria Independent will be hosting candidate forums to learn more about where they stand on specific issues that affect residents.
But first, residents can gain some insight as to who the candidates are through a questionnaire the Independent sent out to each of those in competitive races.
In this article, Peoria Independent features the candidtates for city council representing the Acacia District: newcomer Jennifer Crawford and incumbent Vicki Hunt.
Mayoral candidates former council member Bridget Binsbacher and newcomer Jason Beck have been featured in previous articles, which can be found here.
Stay tuned for future articles to learn more about all the Peoria candidates in competitive races.
In the meantime, take a look at the answers of Crawford and Hunt and learn more about your possible future representatives.
Name: Jennifer Crawford Date of birth: 1971 City/town you grew up in: Gibsonburg, Ohio Number of years you’ve lived in Peoria: 17
Political experience: New to the political arena.
What you do for a living: Licensed Realtor and office manager for a Peoria-based real estate team ranked No. 1 in Arizona.
What types of involvement have you had within the community?: Served on Friends of the Peoria Public Library board, fundraised for local community.
Family: Married husband, Stephen, for 17 years; two stepchildren, Tyler, 25, and Kacie, 23.
Campaign website: Crawford4Peoria.com
What is your favorite thing about Peoria and why?: We raised our two children in Peoria and educated them in Peoria public schools. They are now young adults living independently and both still live and work in Peoria. I love that they are Peoria born and raised and have remained in the community.
Why are you running for office and what is the first thing you want voters to know about your campaign?: Just over one year ago, my husband and I moved to south Peoria. This was the main catalyst for my decision to run for local office. I was shocked at the disparity between north and south Peoria and believe areas in the southern part of our city need a stronger voice to prioritize public safety while revitalizing the older areas.
Name: Vicki Hunt Date of birth: April 21, 1943 City/town you grew up in: Born and raised in Glendale, Arizona Number of years you’ve lived in Peoria: 26 years in Old Town
Political experience: 15 years on Peoria City Council
What do you do for a living?: Former owner of two downtown Peoria businesses and retired Peoria High School English teacher. Main work now is as a full-time Peoria City Councilmember.
What types of involvement have you had within the community?: Actively involved in Friends of Peoria Public Library, Theater Works, Peoria Historical Society, Arizona Commission on the Arts and others. The revitalization of Old Town is a passion of mine and I have been active in establishing the community garden, activating green spaces and setting up little libraries throughout the district.
Family information: Married to Tom Hunt for 28 years, three grown children and four grandchildren.
Campaign website: HuntforPeoria.com.
What is your favorite thing about Peoria and why?: Peoria is an amazing place to live. I love the sheer beauty and depth of our city — the way it claims diverse neighborhoods rich in culture and history as well as the Sonoran Desert mountains, Lake Pleasant, walking trails, and parks. This city truly offers something for everyone in safe and family friendly neighborhoods that can give us a real sense of community and “home.”
Why are you running for office and what is the first thing you want voters to know about your campaign? The council has accomplished a lot, but there is more to be done and I want to finish what I have started. I think most voters will agree that Peoria is heading in the right direction. We have a council that works well together, and I am proud to be part of all of the great things we have accomplished. As your councilmember, I will continue to increase number of police officers to improve public safety; carry on attracting new businesses and support existing businesses in Old Town; champion quality construction of residential and commercial building in Acacia; and improve our local amenities including bringing shade structures to the lake at Pioneer Park.
Meet Philip Haldiman is an award-winning journalist who most recently took first place for investigative reporting in 2023 from Arizona Newspapers Association. He joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2015, covering Sun City West his first year. Since 2016, he has covered the city of Peoria. Prior to coming to INI, he was a reporter with The Arizona Republic for seven years, covering numerous cities throughout the Valley. Before that, he was a freelance writer.
Community: Haldiman spearheads the Peoria Independent Hometown Heroes Awards program, honoring local individuals and businesses that give back to the community. He has hosted local candidate forums over the years and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists. Haldiman also served as a member of the Journalism Program Community Advisory Board at Glendale Community College. Outside journalism, Haldiman served as a member of the city of Peoria Complete Count Committee for the Census, 2019-2020. Lastly, he has served as a member of his HOA governing board since 2021.
Education: Arizona State University with a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications and a BA in Theater.
Random Fact: Haldiman is a fourth-generation Arizonan as well as wrote and produced an autobiographical comic book about his time spent in Hollywood and his life as a cult film star.
Hobbies: He enjoys hiking Arizona’s mountainous landscapes and is currently working on a play for the stage.
By 
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here