Councilwoman Dawn Oliphant is a mother and a nearly 17-year resident of Queen Creek. She is vying for re-election for the third time, this time campaigning alongside Bryan McClure and Matt McWilliams.
Oliphant was first elected to the Town Council in 2010, before being re-elected in 2014 and then again in 2018. She is retired from a career in government with the City of Tempe, where she served in various roles.
Currently, Oliphant serves on the Town Council Budget Committee and Economic Development Commission. She also represents Queen Creek on the Maricopa Association of Governments Economic Development Committee, the League of Neighborhoods, Sustainability and Quality of Life Committee, the League of Public Safety, Military Affairs and Courts Committee, according to the town’s website.
After 12 years on the council Oliphant said it’s her passion to still give back to the community and she is campaigning to continue the work she has been doing and to help manage the growth of Queen Creek responsibly, she said. As with the other candidates, Oliphant originally ran for a council seat to help make Queen Creek an even greater place for families like her own and people in general.
“Just to know where we came from and struggles back then (when she first joined Town Council)…we’re really just taking it day by day, planning out for the future, but taking action day by day; especially with roads and our housing and all of that kind of stuff, so it all kind of comes together,” Oliphant said in an interview with the Queen Creek Chamber of Commerce.
One of Oliphant’s main points of focus is improving the transportation and the road situation around town. She talked at the town election forum about the council’s 10-year plan for roads and the impact it would also have on public safety, not to mention convenience. Oliphant is the only candidate with actual experience dealing with and trying to improve the roads.
“We have to be strategic, right, on where our roads are going to be improved. Not only are we building new roads, but because our community is in the phases where now, we’re starting to have to improve some of the older roads that we do have. It’s a balancing act,” she said in the interview.
Oliphant later added that for both her and her colleagues on the Town Council, roads are top of mind and will remain a big priority. She said that government should be spending money where it makes the most sense and on things the people want.
Business wise, Oliphant pointed to grassroots efforts by residents as a good way to attract more businesses to Queen Creek. She credited the top-notch economic development staff, but she said often times petitions and calls from residents can end up being the reason why a business might choose to open in Queen Creek.
“Seeing some of the great things come into town…We have big-box stores coming in. We have mom-and-pop restaurants that are still wanting to come. Coffee shops that are still wanting to come, so it’s a really exciting time to be in Queen Creek,” Oliphant said in the interview.
Despite the rapid growth of Queen Creek, as a longtime resident, Oliphant thinks it’s important to keep the small-town feel whether it be through town events, recreational meetings or parks.
Parks are another priority for the council as Oliphant said they’re always looking to do what the community is interested in; they just have to be built responsibly.
“To me, parks are part of the community, just like having great roads…you need parks because it is community, that’s where you meet your neighbors, that’s where you meet your fellow residents,” she said in the interview. However, while parks are important to council, they are not the first priority, with roads and public safety the primary focus for Oliphant and her campaign partners.
Oliphant is a longtime Queen Creek resident with over a decade of Town Council experience behind her, making her the most experienced candidate in this year’s election. Despite her longtime commitment to the Town of Queen Creek she isn’t done yet and she is looking to be re-elected for the third time, marking her fourth term sitting on the council if she’s elected.
The Primary Election is coming up on Tuesday, Aug. 2, although mail-in ballots are already out. The General Election (if necessary) will be on Tuesday, Nov. 8.
Queen Creek voters will elect a new mayor and three council members. Councilwoman Julia Wheatley's seat on council opens up the third seat as she runs unopposed for mayor. In addition, we've featured the two propositions (Prop 464 – permanent base adjustment and Prop 465 – Southwest Gas franchise agreement) on the ballot.
For more information on each candidate, visit the Queen Creek Chamber of Commerce’s meet the candidate interviews HERE.
Queen Creek residents who live in Maricopa County can view their ballot status and other information by visiting BeBallotReady.vote. Pinal County voters may be impacted by recent ballot issues. To see if you are impacted and for more information, visit pinalcountyaz.gov/Vote.
