The slate of candidates for Queen Creek’s July 21 primary election is set.
Mayor Julia Wheatley is running unopposed, while Council Members Bryan McClure, Dawn Oliphant and Travis Padilla are running for reelection. Also running for seats on the council are Benjamin Harrison and Nick Masse.
Here’s a look at the candidates based on information from their campaign and town websites:
Julia Wheatley (Mayor)
Julia Wheatley
ReElectJulia-Facebook
Julia Wheatley was elected mayor in August 2022. She was first elected to the town council in 2010 and was reelected in 2014 and 2018.
She is a member of the Maricopa Association of Governments Regional Council, where she serves as treasurer and sits on the executive and transportation policy committees. Wheatley is also on the executive committee for the League of Arizona Cities and Towns, the Greater Phoenix Economic Council Mayors and Supervisors Council and the Mesa Gateway Airport Authority board of directors.
An Arizona native, Wheatley earned a Bachelor of Science degree in legal studies with a minor in criminal justice. She and her husband, Benjamin, have lived in Queen Creek since 2007, where they are raising their four children and own a mortgage and real estate company.
Benjamin Harrison (Council)
Bill Harrison
HarrisonForQC.com
Benjamin Harrison has been a resident of Queen Creek for more than 15 years.
He is serving on the Queen Creek Unified School District’s school board advisory committee, where he focuses on fiscal oversight and district accountability.
In addition, Harrison has spent seven seasons as a coach for Gilbert Little League, is a graduate of the Queen Creek Citizens Leadership Institute and completed the Leading for Change program for advanced leadership and governance.
“Queen Creek isn’t just a location; it’s home. My experience isn’t in politics, but in practical solutions and community service,” Harrison stated on his website. “I have raised my family here and I want to bring a regular resident’s perspective and a business professional’s efficiency to the town council.”
Nick Masse (Council)
Nick Masse
Submitted
Nick Masse and his wife, Jennifer, are the owners of a local pool company and are both known throughout the community for their support of military veterans.
He has lived in Queen Creek since 2008, where he raised three children.
Masse and his wife are the organizers of the annual Queen Creek SXS Christmas Cruise, which brings the town together for a parade of cars decked out in holiday lights while also raising money to help military families and first responders.
He has also volunteered and helped with Pop Warner football and the Queen Creek Unified School District.
“My goals are to make sure public safety continues to be priority No. 1,” he stated on his Facebook page. “Keep taxes low and help small businesses thrive in the area. As a small business owner this is important to me.”
Bryan McClure (Council)
Bryan McClure
BryanMcclureQCTownCouncil-Facebook
Bryan McClure was elected to the town council in August 2022.
He represents the town on the PHX East Valley Partnership board of directors and was appointed vice mayor in January 2026.
McClure grew up on Barney Farms and, after graduating from Queen Creek High School, he served a two-year Spanish-speaking mission in Nashville. He is a graduate of Arizona State University and was an airport planner for the city of Phoenix.
He and his wife, Michelle, have five children and own an investment advisory business. They are active in the Queen Creek Chamber of Commerce and their church.
Dawn Oliphant (Council)
Dawn Oliphant
OliphantForQCTownCouncil-Facebook
Dawn Oliphant was first elected to the town council in June 2010 and was reelected in 2014, 2018 and 2022.
She serves on the Mayor’s Teen Advisory Committee and represents Queen Creek on the League of Arizona Cities and Towns’ Neighborhoods, Sustainability and Quality of Life Policy committee. She was also appointed by the governor to serve on the Arizona Municipal Tax Code Commission.
She retired from the city of Tempe, where she worked in the police department, municipal court and at the Tempe Learning Center — Tempe’s corporate university for municipal professionals.
Oliphant holds a Master of Business Administration in management, a Bachelor of Science in liberal studies and graduated from Queen Creek’s Citizen Leadership Institute in 2010.
Oliphant moved to Queen Creek in 2005 with her husband, Rick, and two sons, where she manages an environmentally green business. She has also been involved with the Queen Creek Unified School District and various nonprofits related to youth, health care and veterans.
Travis Padilla (Council)
Travis Padilla
VoteTravisAZ.com
Travis Padilla was elected to the town council in August 2022.
He serves on the town’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee and represents the town on the League of Arizona Cities and Towns’ Public Safety, Military Affairs and Courts Policy Committee. Padilla was also appointed to serve on the Arizona Municipal Tax Code Commission.
He was raised in San Antonio and served a two-year church mission in northern Peru. He graduated cum laude from the University of Texas at San Antonio and founded Strategy Payments in 2004, where he currently serves as president.
Padilla and his wife have lived in Queen Creek since 2009 and are raising five children.
Over the past 13 years, he has held leadership positions at his church, the Boy Scouts of America, and as an all-girls Venture Crew leader.
Janet Perez can be reached at jperez@iniusa.org. Please send your comments about this article to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
Janet Perez News Editor | Queen Creek &
San Tan Valley
Meet Janet Janet Perez joined Independent Newsmedia as editor of the Queen Creek Independent and Florence Independent in 2020. She started her career in 1989 with the Gannett-owned El Paso Times. In 1992, she moved to Tempe and has worked in newspapers, magazines, radio and television. She left Arizona for three years to work at New Mexico State University and Baylor University before returning to work at Arizona State University. Missing the business, she went back to journalism in 2017.
Community: A long-time pet owner, she supports animal welfare causes.
Education: University of Texas at El Paso with a BA in journalism and a minor in political science.
Random Fact: She had a head full of random facts.
Hobbies: Reading, watching documentaries, cooking and playing with her dogs.
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