Surprise has six councilmembers elected from geographical districts and a mayor who is elected by voters across the city. Councilmembers in Surprise serve staggered four-year terms.
Councilmembers Nick Haney, Jack Hastings and Chris Judd are up for reelection in 2026. All are running unopposed.
Here's what to know about the Surprise City Council members.
District 1: Nick Haney
Nick Haney was elected in 2022, and his district covers the northernmost portion of Surprise. He is a fire captain and paramedic in Glendale.
He helps oversee transportation developments in the region as part of the Transportation Policy Committee for the Maricopa Association of Governments. Residents in his district in the northwest part of the citydeal with nightmare congestionalong the U.S. 60 or Grand Avenue, from Loop 303 near Sun City West to State Route 74 north of Wittmann. MAG and others are working to relieve the issue for the growing region.
Haney also serves on the city's Board and Commissions Nominations subcommittee, Community Outreach, Partnership and Grants Committee and the Tourism Fund Subcommittee.
Haney grew up in Surprise and, while he was in high school, he was involved in the Surprise Youth Council and served as chair.
He faces reelection in 2026.
District 2: Earle Greenberg
Earle Greenberg was elected in 2024. He is originally from Chicago, but moved to Surprise in 2013.
He founded Talentape Inc., a talent agency, with his mother in 1979. He also produced and directed hundreds of videos for companies like Apple, AT&T, American Dental Association, The American Red Cross, YMCA and more.
As chairman of the Telecommunications Commissions, Greenberg helped negotiate the first contracts when cable television became accessible in the Chicago suburbs in the early 1980s. He also served as the trustee and treasurer of the Missionbrook Sanitary District in Cook County, Illinois and was on the board for Turning Point Behavioral Health Care Center, a nonprofit.
He sits on the city's Board and Commissions Nominations and Rules subcommittees. He is also a Valley Metro RPTA board of director.
He faces reelection in 2028.
District 3: Patrick Duffy
Duffy was appointed to the Council in 2017, then elected in 2018 and reelected in 2020 and 2024. He has lived in Surprise for about a dozen years.
He is a financial advisor for SCF Securities Inc. He was a part-time recreation leader for the city before he was appointed to the council.
Duffy serves on the city's Tourism Fund and the Community Outreach, Partnership and Grants subcommittees. He is also a board member for WESTMARC, the West Valley’s economic advocacy organization.
He is a former member of the Surprise Municipal Corporation Board and has been part of many community and recreation events, including Spring Training support, Relay for Life and Cal Ripken All-Star games.
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He faces reelection in 2028.
District 4: Johnny Melton
Melton was elected to the Council in 2024. He has lived in Surprise since 2011.
Melton works in energy performance contracting and has a background in corporate real estate. He served nine years in the U.S. Navy as a reactor plant operator and nuclear maintenance planner.
Before serving on the council, Melton served on the Dysart Unified School District Bond Advisory Committee and the district's Bond/Override Advisory Committee.
He serves on the city's Boards and Commissions Nominations, Education and Rules subcommittees.
He faces reelection in 2028.
District 5: Jack Hastings
Hastings was elected to the Council in 2020 to serve a partial term and was reelected in 2022. He has lived in Surprise for over 20 years.
Before serving on the Council, Hastings was a civics teacher at Valley Vista High School.
He is the assistant principal at Cimarron Springs Middle School. As a councilmember, he serves on the tourism fund and education subcommittees.
He faces reelection in 2026.
District 6: Chris Judd
Judd was first elected in 2018 and reelected in 2022. He has lived in the city for about 30 years.
He is a local business owner and manager and is an instructor at West-MEC, where he is expanding the Water Systems program. He also serves on the Board for White Tank Mountains Conservancy.
He serves on the Council's subcommittee for Community Outreach, Partnership and Grants.
Before serving on the Council, he was President of the Rotary Club of Surprise and Chairman of Taste of Surprise.
He faces reelection in 2026.
Elena Santa Cruz covers the West Valley cities of Glendale, Surprise and Peoria. Reach her atelena.santacruz@arizonarepublic.comor follow her on X @ecsantacruz3.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic:Here are the 6 members of the Surprise City Council
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