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Endorses Finn

The race

Peoria's mayor's seat is open: Mayor Jason Beck opted not to run for a second term. A sitting councilmember and a former police chief are running to replace him on November 3, 2026.

The verified roster is: Michael Finn and Art Miller.

The candidates

Michael Finn has served on the Peoria City Council for more than 10 years, representing the central Palo Verde District, per azcentral. He is a top leader for a private equity-backed commercial heating and cooling company. Before he was elected to the council, he was chief financial officer for the Peoria Unified School District, and he also held leadership roles at UPS and US Airways. Outgoing Mayor Beck backs him. In his own words to azcentral: "We've accomplished a lot, and over the past few years, we've built incredible momentum in developing a premier city to live, work and raise a family. I'm running for mayor because we are at a critical juncture that requires experience, leadership and vision to ensure Peoria continues moving in the right direction." At an October Republic forum, Finn distanced himself from Beck over a recent Beck comment: "I'm not Jason Beck," he said.

The endorsement story of this race is unusual and sourced: Peoria's police unions said they were supporting Finn — not their former chief — in the race, per azcentral. The city's unions, which merged, later decided to no longer participate in politics. People who worked closely with Miller criticized the endorsement, and Miller said he never got a chance to earn it.

Art Miller led the Peoria Police Department for five years before announcing his retirement in 2023, per azcentral. After that he briefly served as Goodyear's interim police chief. He started his career with the Los Angeles Police Department and spent more than 30 years there before leaving in 2013 to be the police chief in South Pasadena, California. His campaign is built on trust and transparency. In his own words to azcentral: residents "expressed frustration with the direction our city is headed. Complaints included the total lack of transparency on city actions and that resident voices were ignored and oftentimes, completely avoided. As mayor, emphasis will be placed on rebuilding the bond between City Hall and Peoria residents by listening and taking into account their opinions on city plans and actions."

Pros / Cons

OUR CALL

Our call: endorse Michael Finn.

The basis is stated and sourced: more than a decade governing the city he now asks to lead, a chief financial officer's background running a school district's money before he ever held office, and leadership in private business since. On public safety — where his opponent should own the field — the Peoria police unions chose Finn over their own former chief, and that sourced fact outweighs a résumé. Miller's transparency critique may be fair, but a mayor's first job is running the city, and Finn is the candidate who has actually done the fiscal and governing work of this city, in this city, for ten years.

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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