Former state lawmaker Andrés Cano was appointed Tuesday by the Pima County Board of Supervisors to fill the vacant District 5 seat.

Cano was unanimously appointed by a vote of 3-0, with Supervisor Steve Christy absent. He will complete the remainder of former Supervisor Adelita Grijalva’s term. Grijalva resigned last month to pursue the Congressional District 7 seat formerly held by her father, the late Raúl Grijalva.

Cano brings a wealth of experience to the role. A Tucson native and sixth-generation Arizonan, he began his public service at age 14 with a paid internship in the same District 5 office he now represents.

By 16, he was appointed chairman of the Arizona Governor's Youth Commission by then-Gov. Janet Napolitano. He later served as a policy aide to former District 5 Supervisor Richard Elías, becoming the youngest policy adviser in the county's history.

In 2018, Cano was elected to the Arizona House of Representatives, representing District 3. During his tenure, he served as House minority leader and was known for his work on environmental protection, education funding and health care access.

He resigned from the Legislature to attend Harvard Kennedy School, where he earned a master's degree. Most recently, he served as the City of Tucson’s director of federal and state relations.

“Given the unprecedented federal funding cuts on the horizon, Pima County will face significant impacts to its operations, requiring careful planning, foresight, and strategic management,” Cano wrote in his letter of interest for the District 5 seat. “My professional background uniquely equips me to help guide the Board through these challenges and maintain the services that our community depends on.”

The board selected Cano from a pool of six applicants. More than a dozen community members submitted letters of support for his appointment.

Supervisor Jen Allen spoke highly of Cano prior to the vote.

“I think right now, at this particular moment, we need somebody in this seat who can hit the ground running with experience around the Board of Supervisors, experience around complexities of budget, navigating difficult moments in difficult times, and I think Andrés brings that experience,” Allen said.

Members of the public were able to weigh in on the appointment prior to the vote, with resident Dana Kormash sharing her support for Cano.

“I have known Andrés Cano for nine years. He almost always greets me with a hug,” she said. “He helped me and my son take socks and underwear to the Homeless Vets Program at the VA Hospital. He asked me to help him bag chicken at the Casa Maria soup kitchen. He cares about all of Pima County, especially the less fortunate.”

Cano will serve the remainder of Grijalva's term, which ends in late 2026. The county will hold an election for the District 5 seat next year.

As supervisor, Cano is expected to focus on issues such as affordable housing, environmental sustainability and equitable access to public services, reflecting his legislative priorities and commitment to community engagement.

His appointment marks a significant moment for Pima County, bringing a blend of youthful energy and seasoned experience to the Board of Supervisors.

“When I heard about how and where Andrés grew up, I was reminded of many extraordinary students I was privileged to know in my career as an educator, who used their challenging personal circumstances as motivation to both personally thrive and serve their communities,” said Supervisor Rex Scott. “I heard from dozens of people via email, phone calls, text messages and personal contacts about their experiences with Mr. Cano. Not only did they attest to his intellect and political skills, but they also talked about his essential goodness.”

Samantha Callicutt is a Tucson Spotlight reporter and graduate student at the University of Arizona. Contact her at Scallicutt@arizona.edu.

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