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Our call — see the breakdown

The race

Decided earlier — Gilbert replaced a majority of its council at the July 21, 2026 primary, with no runoff and no November 3 candidate race. Four at-large seats were up, and all four were won outright in July: Beth Goulden (24,560 votes in the county tally), Bill Spence (22,732), Joel Coen (22,358), and Bus Obayomi (20,942) are elected, per azcentral's results reporting ("Gilbert votes to overhaul its council, no runoff needed"). All three incumbents seeking re-election were ousted: Chuck Bongiovanni (18,979), Jim Torgeson (18,321), and Bobbi Buchli (13,105). Councilmember Yung Koprowski did not seek re-election. The four incoming members — who form a majority bloc when sworn in on January 5 — campaigned on spending and transparency and, in a joint July 29 letter, said they would target at least $478 million in town spending.

The race behind the race

azcentral's reporting documents what drove the overhaul: water rates rose 25% in April 2025 and another 25% in April 2026; the new council majority promised a full review of rates, fees, and spending; and transparency complaints — plus the long fallout from the "Gilbert Goons" teen-violence cases — hung over the incumbents. Bongiovanni's own concession line, as reported, said he would look for monthly updates on reducing utility rates, eliminating waste, and stopping future apartment complexes — an incumbent naming the exact issues that beat him.

The candidates

Beth Goulden — elected, top vote-getter. (The county results spell the surname "Goulden"; some azcentral text renders it "Golden" — we use the county spelling.) First in a seven-candidate field for four seats.

Bill Spence — elected. A former Gilbert councilmember returning to the dais, per azcentral's pre-primary guide — the one winner with prior council service.

Joel Coen and Bus Obayomi — elected. New members of the incoming majority; with Goulden and Spence they signed onto the spending-review program, including the July 29 letter putting a $478 million figure on targeted spending after what azcentral described as weeks of poring over the budget.

Bongiovanni, Torgeson, Buchli — incumbents, defeated. Three sitting members removed in one primary. Torgeson was the council's most senior member (elected 2016); Buchli, elected in 2022, finished last. Koprowski's seat completes the four-seat turnover.

Pros and cons

OUR CALL

Our call: no November call — decided July 21, 2026; we record the outcome. Goulden, Spence, Coen, and Obayomi are elected and take office January 5. For the permanent record: the incoming majority ran on the right diagnosis — rates, spending, transparency — and this page will judge them on the two numbers now attached to their names: the rate path and the $478 million.

For the complete Election 2026 breakdown — every race, claim by claim — see the full coverage on our website. Vote early. Research your candidates. Choose the best moderates, whatever their party — no extremism from either side. And encourage your friends and family to do the same. --- Sources

Election result — November 4, 2026

Result pending. No verified call (Associated Press or official) as of November 4, 2026. This page will be updated when the race is called or certified. The original article above is unchanged.

AI-assisted article — but the sources are human, and the facts are very real.

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