The Arizona Republican Party has asked Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell to investigate whether Democratic legislative candidate and former Scottsdale Councilwoman Tammy Caputi misrepresented her residence in voter registration and candidate filings.
AZGOP Chairman Sergio Arellano alleged that Caputi used a Scottsdale condominium address to establish residency in Legislative District 4 without actually living there. The party requested an investigation into possible election law violations, forgery, and perjury.
“These allegations warrant a thorough investigation. I have asked County Attorney Mitchell to review the evidence and determine whether any laws were violated,” Arellano said. “I have confidence that her office will take these concerns seriously and ensure that Arizona’s election laws are enforced.”
The party’s announcement describes a request for an investigation but does not indicate that prosecutors have decided to file charges or opened an investigation.
Caputi has previously defended her residency. In statements reported by KJZZ, she said she moved into the condominium in July 2025 and has lived there since. She described the owner as a longtime friend who offered her an opportunity to rent during changing family circumstances.
“I understand that running for public office comes with scrutiny, and I welcome legitimate questions about my residency,” Caputi said. She also asked that her family’s circumstances remain private and criticized Republicans for using them politically.
The Arizona Republicreported that photographs it obtained showed the condominium with little furniture and few indications of occupancy. The party also questioned whether utility accounts were in Caputi’s name.
Arellano contended that the circumstances warranted scrutiny of the residence Caputi reported on official documents.
KJZZ reported that the condominium belongs to Nestor and Suzanne Guzman, who each contributed $5,500 to Caputi’s campaign. The outlet said the property’s sale listing was removed Oct. 2, the day the Republic published its reporting.
KJZZ also reported that Caputi still owns the north Scottsdale home she listed during her 2024 City Council campaign. That property falls within Legislative District 3.
Arizona’s voter qualification statute, defines residency as actual physical presence combined with an intent to remain. For a political subdivision, the physical presence must be within that subdivision. The statute also provides that a temporary absence does not end residency when the person intends to return and that an individual has only one residence for election law purposes.
Under A.R.S. § 16-311, candidates for state legislative office must be qualified electors and reside in the district they seek to represent when filing. Nomination papers must provide the candidate’s actual residence address, subject to specified exceptions.
Caputi and Democrat Karen Gresham are challenging Republican Reps. Matt Gress and Pamela Carter for the district’s two House seats.
The outgoing Scottsdale City Council has busied itself with passing certain left-leaning priorities.
The election of several new faces to the Scottsdale City Council ensured what effectively amounted to an overhaul of the status quo, which was a council in favor of more progressive policymaking such as sustainability plans aligning with those proposals put forth by the Green New Deal.
The incumbent council members lost their seats, several to more conservative challengers. Mayor Dave Ortega lost to Lisa Borowsky, though he beat her previously in 2020. Adam Kwasman and Maryann McAllen were newly elected, ousting incumbents Tammy Caputi and Tom Durham.
Kwasman said in a post on X that the outgoing “lame duck” council was focusing its last weeks in office on “slamming through” action items on apartments, appointments to citizens’ commissions, and a sustainability plan. Kwasman said the current council has exhibited “extremely regrettable” behavior.
“We will do all we can to reverse the damage done,” said Kwasman.
It is extremely regrettable to see what is likely to come out of the Scottsdale City Council over the next few weeks.
Rather than create a smooth transition with the newly-mandated council majority, the lame duck council is slamming through thousands of apartments, appointing…
Earlier this month, the council worked on the nominations for 14 committee vacancies across the Environmental Advisory Commission, Historic Preservation Commision, Library Board, McDowell Sonoran Preserve Commission, Neighborhood Advisory Commission, Paths and Trails Subcommittee, and Veterans Advisory Commission.
Scottsdale Vice Mayor Barry Graham claimed that the outgoing council majority and city staff were working to limit public opposition to the lineup of more progressive policymaking in the works.
Graham asserted that city staff had “misrepresented” one of Tuesday night’s contested agenda items as a discussion-only item — a rezoning and development agreement to establish headquarters and housing for the Scottsdale-based weapons defense company Axon — but then agendized it as an action item.
“[City staff] are warning that residents may be turned away at the door and sent across the street to an ‘overflow’ waiting area… a strategy that may favor the applicant,” said Graham.
Tonight, Scottsdale City Council Votes on Axon's Apartment Application.
City staff—who misrepresented the item as a "discussion" when it's agendized for "action"—are warning that residents may be turned away at the door and sent across the street to an "overflow" waiting area… pic.twitter.com/Wn1q172KG4
Last week, Graham addressed the outgoing councilmembers’ commitment to assigning their preferred committee members.
“Because commission terms last for years, I requested that my colleagues postpone their lame duck December appointments of commissioners by two weeks as a good-faith gesture toward the newly-elected council,” said Graham. “Even though you chose not to re-elect any of them, the outgoing members insist on pushing through their midnight appointments.”
Later this month, the council plans to review a sustainability plan to implement “extreme heat” strategies.
Although council seats are nonpartisan, most of the incoming council members have Republican backgrounds. McAllen was the only registered Democrat in the group and received backing from Democratic groups.
Kwasman formerly served as a Republican lawmaker in the Arizona House from 2013 to 2015, and ran for Congress in 2014.
Jan Dubauskas, who won through her primary victory in August, has been an active member in local Republican organizations, serving as a precinct committeewoman as well as Palo Verde Republican Women vice chair of community outreach.
Mayor-elect Borowsky has advocated for fiscal conservatism to complement and boost Scottsdale’s economy. Borowsky previously served on the council from 2009 to 2013, and ran for Congress as a Republican in 2012.
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