BallotPedia, Lela Alston

Lela is a Phoenix native who attended Adams/Grace Court Elementary and Phoenix Union High School. She earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona and her master's from Arizona State University. 

Lela is a former teacher who worked in the Phoenix Union High School District. 

Lela Alston is currently a state senator for District 5. She was elected in 2022 and is serving her first term. Lela was a state senator serving District 24 for 2 terms from 2019 to 2023. Before that, she served as a state representative for District 24 for 3 terms from 2013 to 2019. She also served as a state representative for District 15 for 1 term from 2011 to 2013. Lela served in the Arizona State Senate from 1977 to 1995 non-consecutively. 

Lela was elected to the Phoenix Union High School District (PUHSD) Governing Board in 2008.

Candidate website

Supports making Arizona a leader in biotechnology, protecting unions, ensuring fair hiring practices, and attracting high-paying jobs to the state.

- Supports making Arizona a leader in biotechnology, protecting unions, ensuring fair hiring practices, and attracting high-paying jobs to the state.

Economy

The candidate's website says, "I promote policies that improve the well-being of everyone, not just the wealthy. I'm focused on providing affordable housing, addressing homelessness and I support policies that ensure that people feel safe in their communities. I will fight for legislation that expands equal treatment under the law for every individual."

- The candidate's website says, "I promote policies that improve the well-being of everyone, not just the wealthy. I'm focused on providing affordable housing, addressing homelessness and I support policies that ensure that people feel safe in their communities. I will fight for legislation that expands equal treatment under the law for every individual."

Public Safety

Supports repealing the AZ abortion law and expanding KidsCare for children's healthcare access. Plans to ensure access to contraception and bodily autonomy for all.

Supports repealing the AZ abortion law and supports access to contraception and bodily autonomy for all. 

Supports expanding KidsCare for greater children's healthcare access.

- Supports repealing the AZ abortion law and supports access to contraception and bodily autonomy for all. 
- Supports expanding KidsCare for greater children's healthcare access.

Healthcare

Supports secure funding for public schools, reforming ESA vouchers, and providing free school meals and full-day kindergarten.

Supports non-discriminatory educational materials in schools. As a State Senator, sponsored a bill requiring textbooks to be free from discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, disabilities, race, and religion.

As a State Senator, sponsored a bill requiring textbooks to be free from discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, disabilities, race, and religion.

- Supports secure funding for public schools, reforming ESA vouchers, and providing free school meals and full-day kindergarten.
- As a State Senator, sponsored a bill requiring textbooks to be free from discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, disabilities, race, and religion.

Education

Supports updating the Groundwater Management Act to protect Arizona's groundwater and advocates for wildfire management to preserve natural spaces and ensure rural safety.

Supports updating the Groundwater Management Act to protect Arizona's groundwater and advocates for wildfire management.

- Supports updating the Groundwater Management Act to protect Arizona's groundwater and advocates for wildfire management.

Energy & the Environment

Supports expanding ballot box access, automatic voter registration, and protecting voters and election workers from intimidation. Believes in fighting against election misinformation.

Supports expanding ballot box access, automatic voter registration, and protecting voters and election workers from intimidation. 

- Supports expanding ballot box access, automatic voter registration, and protecting voters and election workers from intimidation. 

Voting & Elections

Facebook

Endorsed by Teamsters Local 104, a labor union.

- Endorsed by Teamsters Local 104, a labor union.

Endorsements

Twitter

Lela Alston

Lela Alston is currently a state senator for State Legislative District 5. She was elected in 2022 and has been in office for 1 term in this position. Lela served in the state senate for district 24 for 2 terms from 2019 to 2023. Before that, she served as a state house representative for district 24 for 3 terms from 2013 to 2019. Lela previously served as a state house representative for district 15. She served for one term in that position from 2011-2013. Lela served in the Arizona State Senate from 1977 to 1995 non-consecutively. 

Lela was elected to the Phoenix Union High School District (PUHSD) Governing Board in November of 2008.

Believes in securing elections and protecting voting rights.

- Supports expanding KidsCare for greater children's healthcare access.

Lela Alston is a Phoenix native who attended Adams/Grace Court Elementary and Phoenix Union High School. She earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona and her master's from Arizona State University. Details about her family, church attendance, or current residence in Phoenix are not provided in the information given.

Lela Alston is a former teacher who worked for 34 years in the Phoenix Union High School District. She was elected to the Arizona State Senate in 1976, where she served for 18 years on the appropriations committee. Additionally, she has been a member of the PUHSD Governing Board since November 2008.

Lela Alston was elected to the Arizona State Senate in 1976 and served for 18 years on the appropriations committee. She has a total of 32 years at the legislature, with a focus on supporting education and health care programs. Additionally, Alston was elected to the Phoenix Union High School District (PUHSD) Governing Board in November of 2008.

- Your state senator represents the interests of your district in the Arizona State Senate. The State Senate, along with the State House of Representatives, makes up your state lawmaking body: the Arizona Legislature. 
- Your state senator can author, sponsor, and vote on bills that may become state laws after going through the legislative process. 
- State senators are involved in approving some appointments by the governor.
- There are 30 Arizona senators, each representing a single district.
- State senators are elected to two-year terms. They are paid a yearly salary of $24,000.

Your representative and state lawmaker in the Arizona Senate.