State Senator - District No. 23
July 21, 2026 · State Senate District 23; Arizona · State senate district · primary
How do we calculate vote impact?
Vote impact = representation (how much weight one vote carries here, the smaller the district's population, the higher the representation) + decisiveness (how likely this race is to be close, based on past results and number of candidates).
Representation: Average · 60 out of 100
This district is mid-sized for its type, so each vote carries average weight. About 241,104 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(275,769 ÷ 241,104) ÷ ln(275,769 ÷ 221,081) = 60.78, comparing state senate districts in AZ (grades: 66+ high, 33+ average, otherwise low)
Decisiveness: Unknown
No past results for this contest yet.
Average representation + unknown decisiveness → Average vote impact.
Some data is missing, so this rating is based on partial information and capped at "High".
State Senator is responsible for:
- Voting on state laws and the state budget
- Representing their district in the state senate
- Confirming certain governor appointments in many states
- Helping district residents deal with state agencies
Affected Areas: Environment and Public Health, Reduce Wealth Gap, Anti-Corruption, Government Efficiency, Healthcare Affordability, Government Spending Reduction, Public Safety and Crime Control, Housing Affordability, Social Programs and Welfare, Public Education Quality, Gun Control, Women's Reproductive Rights, Election Integrity, Personal Income Tax Reduction, Data Privacy, Civil Rights, Corporate Accountability, Public Infrastructure
Candidates
Brian Fernandez
Democratic · Incumbent · declared
Brian Fernandez is the Democratic Arizona state senator for Legislative District 23. A sixth-generation Arizonan raised in Yuma, he earned a degree from Arizona State University, founded and sold constituent-communications software company Symfodium, and was appointed to the Arizona House in 2021 before winning election to the Senate.
Records: Civil Rights 3 for, Election Integrity 1 for, Government Spending Reduction 1 for, 2 against, Gun Control 1 for, Healthcare Affordability 4 for, Public Education Quality 1 for, Social Programs and Welfare 2 for
Michelle Altherr
Republican · declared
Michelle Altherr is a 15-year U.S. Air Force veteran with an associate degree in applied sciences. She has worked as an election adjudicator and marshal, volunteered in the 2021 Arizona Senate audit, and currently serves as secretary of the Maricopa County Republican Committee and as an Arizona Republican Party member-at-large.
Election sources
Source: azsos.gov
Source: azsos.gov