Ballot Pedia, Junelle Cavero

Junelle received a bachelor's degree from New York University and a master's degree from American University.

Junelle Cavero currently serves as the State Representative in State Legislative District 11. She was appointed in 2024.

Candidate website

Supports increasing wages, providing small business incentives, creating well-paying jobs, strengthening workplace protections, expanding affordable housing, implementing rent control, and funding homelessness prevention programs.

Believes in raising the minimum wage to address economic challenges. Supports collaboration between private and public sectors to tackle rising home prices and rent.

Supports collaboration between private and public sectors to tackle rising home prices and rent.

Believes in advocating for quality, well-paying jobs with upward mobility, better healthcare, safe working conditions, and union development. Supports competitive pay structures, attracting companies with strong benefits, and expanding labor training programs.

Believes entrepreneurship drives economic growth and job creation. Supports assisting small businesses with strategic planning, grants, and marketing strategies.

Supports increased salaries, benefits, and union access for childcare workers, who have been leaving the field at higher rates since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Believes inconsistent and unaffordable childcare hinders working parents and job seekers. Highlights that in Legislative District 11, where average household income is $35,000 and rent averages $24,000, paying for childcare is nearly impossible.

Claims that inconsistent and unaffordable childcare hinders working parents and job seekers. Highlights that in Legislative District 11, where the average household income is $35,000 and rent averages $24,000, paying for childcare is "almost impossible."

Supports guaranteed, affordable childcare for all families, capped at 7% of household income.

Believes a typical Arizona family would have an additional 15% annual income for other necessities post-child care. Supports policies that enhance economic stability for families.

Believes Arizona’s economy would expand with $3 billion of new economic activity. Supports policies that address labor issues, trade, taxes, small business, and regulation to achieve this growth.

Believes Arizona must invest in affordable housing to address rising housing discrimination in group homes.

- Supports increasing wages, providing small business incentives, creating well-paying jobs, strengthening workplace protections, expanding affordable housing, implementing rent control, and funding homelessness prevention programs.
- Supports collaboration between private and public sectors to tackle rising home prices and rent.
- Believes in advocating for quality, well-paying jobs with upward mobility, better healthcare, safe working conditions, and union development. Supports competitive pay structures, attracting companies with strong benefits, and expanding labor training programs.
- Believes entrepreneurship drives economic growth and job creation. Supports assisting small businesses with strategic planning, grants, and marketing strategies.
- Claims that inconsistent and unaffordable childcare hinders working parents and job seekers. Highlights that in Legislative District 11, where the average household income is $35,000 and rent averages $24,000, paying for childcare is "almost impossible."
- Supports guaranteed, affordable childcare for all families, capped at 7% of household income.

Economy

Supports repealing mandatory minimum sentencing laws with retroactive impact.

Supports repealing "mandatory minimum sentencing laws with retroactive impact."

Believes we are "criminalizing and imprisoning too many" for minor offenses and supports evidence-based solutions to reduce crime and recidivism.

Supports prohibiting youth from being housed in adult jails and ensuring they have age-appropriate facilities.

Supports banning juvenile life without parole sentences.

Wants to ban juvenile life without parole sentences.

Believes Arizona's high imprisonment rate and rising incarceration for non-violent offenses are problematic, noting taxpayers spend over $1 billion annually on the prison system.

Believes in developing a pathway to release for non-violent, incarcerated elderly, ill, and disabled individuals.

Supports investing in and incentivizing educational programs for incarcerated individuals.

Supports offering "positive diversion opportunities over jail time" to improve public safety.

Believes in protecting public safety by complying with the law, safeguarding rights and property, and preventing fraudulent or unlawful conduct. Supports emergency disclosures to prevent immediate danger of death or serious injury.

- Supports repealing "mandatory minimum sentencing laws with retroactive impact."
- Believes we are "criminalizing and imprisoning too many" for minor offenses and supports evidence-based solutions to reduce crime and recidivism.
- Supports prohibiting youth from being housed in adult jails and ensuring they have age-appropriate facilities.
- Wants to ban juvenile life without parole sentences.
- Believes in developing a pathway to release for non-violent, incarcerated elderly, ill, and disabled individuals.
- Supports investing in and incentivizing educational programs for incarcerated individuals.
- Believes in protecting public safety by complying with the law, safeguarding rights and property, and preventing fraudulent or unlawful conduct. Supports emergency disclosures to prevent immediate danger of death or serious injury.

Public Safety

Supports statutory and constitutional protections for reproductive freedom, including abortion services for government healthcare beneficiaries. Opposes "fake" health centers and advocates for comprehensive, inclusive sex education and addressing maternal health inequities.

Supports abortion and "statutory and constitutional protections for reproductive freedom," including abortion services for government healthcare beneficiaries. Opposes "fake" health centers and advocates for comprehensive, inclusive sex education and addressing maternal health inequities.

Believes in prioritizing reproductive freedom and supports the repeal of restrictive abortion laws. Plans to advocate for accessible healthcare, including medical marijuana and comprehensive public health measures.

Believes every Arizonan should have quality, accessible, and affordable healthcare. Plans to protect reproductive rights, children's health care, and expand funding for behavioral and mental health.

Plans to protect reproductive rights, children's health care, and expand funding for behavioral and mental health.

- Supports abortion and "statutory and constitutional protections for reproductive freedom," including abortion services for government healthcare beneficiaries. Opposes "fake" health centers and advocates for comprehensive, inclusive sex education and addressing maternal health inequities.
- Supports medical marijuana.
- Plans to protect reproductive rights, children's health care, and expand funding for behavioral and mental health.

Healthcare

Believes in increasing funding for public education, raising teacher salaries, and providing tuition-free community college for Arizona residents. Supports initiatives like the Arizona Teachers Academy to reduce financial burdens on aspiring educators.

Believes childcare is essential for stability and development but is increasingly inaccessible in Arizona. Supports investing in universal childcare.

Supports investing in universal childcare.

Believes children deserve a safe, violence-free school environment. Opposes targeting, harassment, and criminalization of students in schools, stating "no one benefits" from such actions.

Supports fully funding public education, including K-12 school policies, college affordability, and children's educational needs.

Believes in coordinating with all relevant stakeholders when crafting childcare policy, including parents, childcare workers, unions, and other providers.

Supports investing in and expanding nonprofit childcare programs and scholarships for all families. Believes Arizona can replicate the military childcare model to improve statewide childcare access.

Believes "education is the most powerful tool for a strong Arizona." Supports policies enhancing K-12 education, college access, and children's educational opportunities.

Believes the legislature should strictly regulate School Resource Officers (SROs) to ensure they protect students from threats and are not used for school discipline or counseling.

- Believes in increasing funding for public education, raising teacher salaries, and providing tuition-free community college for Arizona residents. Supports initiatives like the Arizona Teachers Academy to reduce financial burdens on aspiring educators.
- Supports investing in universal childcare.
- Believes children deserve a safe, violence-free school environment. Opposes targeting, harassment, and criminalization of students in schools, stating "no one benefits" from such actions.
- Believes in coordinating with all relevant stakeholders when crafting childcare policy, including parents, childcare workers, unions, and other providers.
- Believes the legislature should strictly regulate School Resource Officers (SROs) to ensure they protect students from threats and are not used for school discipline or counseling.

Education

Supports promoting renewable energy initiatives and water sustainability policies to build a greener Arizona.

Supports promoting renewable energy initiatives and water sustainability policies to build a "greener" Arizona.

- Supports promoting renewable energy initiatives and water sustainability policies to build a "greener" Arizona.

Energy & the Environment

Believes the Maricopa County Recorder's Office ensures fair and secure elections. Opposes the Arizona Senate's "misguided 'audit'" of the 2020 election, calling it voter suppression and a waste of taxpayer money.

Believes the Maricopa County Recorder's Office ensures fair and secure elections. Opposes the Arizona Senate's "misguided 'audit'" of the 2020 election, calling it "voter suppression" and a waste of taxpayer money.

Believes "elections belong to the people" and emphasizes the importance of "trusting our Arizona elections."

- Believes the Maricopa County Recorder's Office ensures fair and secure elections. Opposes the Arizona Senate's "misguided 'audit'" of the 2020 election, calling it "voter suppression" and a waste of taxpayer money.
- Believes "elections belong to the people" and emphasizes the importance of "trusting our Arizona elections."

Voting & Elections

Endorsed by labor unions such as the Maricopa Area Labor Federation, Arizona Carpenters, Professional Fire Fighters of Arizona, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, and more.

Endorsed by political action committees such as Moms Demand Action, Arizona List, Human Rights Campaign, the Arizona Nurses Association, the Working Families Party, Climate Cabinet, Reproductive Freedom for All, Living United for Change in Arizona, and more.

- Endorsed by labor unions such as the Maricopa Area Labor Federation, Arizona Carpenters, Professional Fire Fighters of Arizona, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, and more.
- Endorsed by political action committees such as Moms Demand Action, Arizona List, Human Rights Campaign, the Arizona Nurses Association, the Working Families Party, Climate Cabinet, Reproductive Freedom for All, Living United for Change in Arizona, and more.

Endorsements

Twitter

Instagram

Facebook

Junelle Cavero

Izzak is from Phoenix, where he still lives today. He holds a bachelor's degree in economics from The Catholic University of America. He is engaged to his fiance, Lizethhe.  

Arizona Vote, 2024 Primary Election

LinkedIn

Izzak works as a website & social media manager at Espiritu Schools. He worked on community projects, including co-establishing Teacher Town, an affordable housing initiative for teachers in South Pheonix, and co-founding Academy of the Americas, a program that takes students from Pheonix to other countries to discuss solutions with professionals in education, politics, and business.

Izzak Ruiz's campaign for State Representative in District 11 is his first run for public office.  

As of June 19, 2024, Izaak Ruiz did not have a website or any information online.

Want to ensure affordable housing for teachers.

Believes local youth must have safe neighborhoods.

- Supports measures for quality education.
- Want to ensure affordable housing for teachers.
- Believes local youth must have safe neighborhoods.

U.S. TERM LIMITS, IZAAK RUIZ PLEDGES TO SUPPORT CONGRESSIONAL TERM LIMITS

Opposes voter suppression, and wants to restore voting rights for all, "saying, "Voting is a right, not a privilege."

Promises to support congressional term limits.

- Opposes voter suppression, and wants to restore voting rights for all, "saying, "Voting is a right, not a privilege."
- Promises to support congressional term limits.

Izaak Ruiz

Oscar holds a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Southern California and a master's degree in public policy from the University of Oxford, where he was selected as a Rhodes Scholar and awarded a Rhodes Scholarship. He lives in Laveen. 

Oscar works as a teacher in South Phoenix. He also worked as the head of public policy at the Association of Arizona Food Banks. 

Ballotpeida, Oscar De Los Santos

Oscar De Los Santos currently serves as a state representative in State Legislative District 11. He was elected to this position in 2022 and is serving his first term. He also serves as the Assistant Minority Leader for the State House of Representatives. 

Plans to raise the corporate tax rate to 7% to generate over $80 million annually for education and critical services.

Plans to advocate for reinstating the corporate tax rate at 7%, stating it would generate over $80 million annually and is money that could be invested in "education and other critical services."

Supports introducing a wealth tax on the ultra-rich to "level the playing field" and address tax disparities.

Supports installing a wealth tax on the "Ultra-Rich", saying they have "rigged the tax rules...so much that the top 0.1% pay a lower effective tax rate than the bottom 99% in our country."

Supports reinstating Arizona’s estate tax on inheritances over $3.5 million to combat wealth concentration and raise $130 million for state investment.

Supports reinstating Arizona’s (AZ) estate tax on inheritances over $3.5 million, saying it would "raise $130 million for our state to invest back into our people."

Supports capping rental application fees at $20 and introducing a renter’s tax credit to provide financial relief for Arizona families.

Wants to provide economic relief for renters by installing a cap for application fees at $20 and introducing a renter’s tax credit. 

Believes in lowering housing costs, providing relief for high gas prices, raising the minimum wage, and ensuring paid family leave for all Arizonans.

Wants to reduce housing and gas prices, increase the minimum wage, and provide paid family leave for all state residents. 

Believes the economy is "rigged in favor of the wealthy and the well-connected," with the rich benefiting from tax loopholes while others struggle.

Believes the economy is "rigged in favor of the wealthy and the well-connected," with the rich benefiting from "tax loopholes written by lobbyists" while others are "struggling to get by."

Believes "workers deserve a decent living" and supports policies that ensure fair wages and economic security.

Believes "Workers deserve a decent living..."

Supports expanding the safety net for families by increasing assistance, strengthening eviction protections, and providing free school meals.

Supports expanding the safety net for families by increasing assistance, improving eviction protections, and providing free meals for students at AZ schools. 

- Plans to advocate for reinstating the corporate tax rate at 7%, stating it would generate over $80 million annually and is money that could be invested in "education and other critical services."
- Supports installing a wealth tax on the "Ultra-Rich", saying they have "rigged the tax rules...so much that the top 0.1% pay a lower effective tax rate than the bottom 99% in our country."
- Supports reinstating Arizona’s (AZ) estate tax on inheritances over $3.5 million, saying it would "raise $130 million for our state to invest back into our people."
- Wants to provide economic relief for renters by installing a cap for application fees at $20 and introducing a renter’s tax credit. 
- Wants to reduce housing and gas prices, increase the minimum wage, and provide paid family leave for all state residents. 
- Believes the economy is "rigged in favor of the wealthy and the well-connected," with the rich benefiting from "tax loopholes written by lobbyists" while others are "struggling to get by."
- Believes "Workers deserve a decent living..."
- Supports expanding the safety net for families by increasing assistance, improving eviction protections, and providing free meals for students at AZ schools. 

As of June 19, 2024, Oscar De Los Santos’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Believes everyone should have access to necessary medical care regardless of skin color or income and opposes financial struggles due to medical bills.

Supports equal access to medical care regardless of skin color or income. 

- Supports abortion and women's rights.
- Supports equal access to medical care regardless of skin color or income. 

Supports raising Arizona public school teacher salaries to the national average by repealing GOP tax cuts and addressing corporate tax evasion.

Supports increasing public school teacher salaries to the national average, saying they are "among the worst paid in the county."

Believes that public education should be a right for all and plans to introduce legislation to make Arizona’s community colleges and public universities tuition-free, including for Dreamers.

Supports equal educational opportunities regardless of race, income, or zip code, saying that quality public education "is a right for all-not a privilege for the wealthy." 

Supports strengthening Arizona's education system with "Universal Pre-K" and "tuition-free community colleges and public universities."

Supports universal Pre-K education and free community college in AZ. 

Believes Arizona's Republican lawmakers' lack of investment has led to high child poverty and low college attainment in his district. Supports increased investment in education to address these challenges.

Believes minimal investments in District 11 resulted in a district rank of "#3 in the state for child poverty, and...near the bottom of...legislative districts for college attainment."

Believes education is the most crucial investment a state can make. As a former South Phoenix teacher, supports policies that enhance K-12 education, improve college access, and benefit children.

Believes education is the "most important investment a state can make."

- Supports increasing public school teacher salaries to the national average, saying they are "among the worst paid in the county."
- Supports equal educational opportunities regardless of race, income, or zip code, saying that quality public education "is a right for all-not a privilege for the wealthy." 
- Supports universal Pre-K education and free community college in AZ. 
- Believes minimal investments in District 11 resulted in a district rank of "#3 in the state for child poverty, and...near the bottom of...legislative districts for college attainment."
- Believes education is the "most important investment a state can make."

Believes Arizona's US Senators should pass federal voting rights legislation, including ending the filibuster.

Urges Arizona's US Senators to pass federal voting rights legislation, including ending "the filibuster."

- Urges Arizona's US Senators to pass federal voting rights legislation, including ending "the filibuster."

Endorsed by the Arizona (AZ) Education Association Fund, AZ American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 99, 104 Teamsters, UNITE HERE! Local 11, and Climate Cabinet Action.

Endorsed by Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, Maricopa County Young Democrats, Jane Fonda Climate Pact, and the Sierra Club

- Endorsed by the Arizona (AZ) Education Association Fund, AZ American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 99, 104 Teamsters, UNITE HERE! Local 11, and Climate Cabinet Action.
- Endorsed by Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, Maricopa County Young Democrats, Jane Fonda Climate Pact, and the Sierra Club

Oscar De Los Santos

- Your state representatives represent the interests of your local district in the Arizona State House of Representatives. The State House of Representatives, along with the State Senate, makes up the state lawmaking body: the Arizona Legislature.
- Your state representatives can author, sponsor, and vote on bills that may become state laws.
- Arizona has 30 districts, and each district is represented by two State Representatives, making a total of 60 State Representatives.
- State Representatives are elected to two-year terms. They are paid a yearly salary of $24,000. They only serve in the role part-time.