Aleks Vranicic
Candidate for Mesa City Council – District 5
Mesa · District 5 (Northeast Mesa)
Aleks Vranicic advanced past the primary and is running in the next round. Finished second of five candidates in the July 21, 2026 primary with 26.9% of the vote. Faces incumbent Alicia Goforth in the November 3, 2026 runoff.
Source: elections.maricopa.gov · Last verified: October 23, 2026
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Biography
Aleks Vranicic is a longtime Mesa resident who immigrated to the United States from the former Yugoslavia at age eight. After earning a business degree and playing college soccer, he managed his family's spa and salon business, earned an esthetics license, coached high school varsity soccer, and later worked as vice president of sales and technical training for a Canadian product manufacturer. Before running, he frequently spoke at City Council meetings against utility rate increases and diversity, equity and inclusion programs and in support of the city's 287(g) immigration enforcement agreement. His campaign focuses on government accountability, transparency in city finances, public safety, and slowing high-density development, and he has criticized the city's structural budget deficit. His endorsers include state Sen. David Farnsworth, state Sen. Jake Hoffman, state Rep. Justin Olson, and Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap. Vranicic finished second of five candidates in the July 21, 2026 primary with 26.9% of the vote and faces incumbent Alicia Goforth in the November 3, 2026 runoff.
Positions
Issue Stances
Water Policy
No official stance on record.
Education Funding
No official stance on record.
Border Security & Immigration
SupportsAccording to City Council minutes reviewed by the Arizona Republic, Vranicic has spoken at council meetings in support of Mesa's 287(g) agreement with federal immigration authorities.
"support the city's 287(g) agreement with the federal government on immigration"
Housing Affordability
SupportsVranicic wants to slow high-density housing projects while promoting more affordable single-family homes for purchase, saying growth should preserve Mesa's suburban character. At a July 2026 forum he also said continued construction is the answer to Mesa's housing shortage.
"I'll work to slow these projects while promoting more affordable single-family homes for ownership"
Election Integrity
No official stance on record.
Healthcare Access
No official stance on record.
Public Safety & Criminal Justice
SupportsVranicic pledges to back police, firefighters, and first responders with the resources they need to keep crime rates low, and lists public safety among his top campaign issues.
"I pledge to stand firmly behind our police, firefighters, and first responders."
Energy Policy
No official stance on record.
Economic Development & Jobs
SupportsCampaign social media snippets reference protecting local business and school traffic in transportation decisions, suggesting a pro local business stance.
Reproductive Rights
No official stance on record.
Transportation & Infrastructure
SupportsCampaign snippets indicate opposition to road diets and support for keeping car lanes and emergency services moving.
Government Spending & Taxation
SupportsVranicic pledges balanced budgets, cuts to wasteful spending, and full transparency in city finances without higher taxes. He has criticized utility rate increases and Mesa's use of budget surpluses, and has pointed to the city's structural deficit.
"I am committed to ensuring every taxpayer dollar in Mesa is spent wisely and openly."
Legislature
Legislative Voting Record
No voting record on file.
Voting records are only available for candidates who have held legislative office.
Ballot
Ballot Measure Stances
No ballot measure stances on file yet.
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