Trachsel is a member of the Green Party and also a Quaker. He mostly grew up in San Diego, but moved back to Arizona in 2019 to attend Northern Arizona University, where he’s about to earn his master’s degree in counseling and student affairs. With a degree in hand, he’s headed for a full-time job at NAU. He rents in Flagstaff.

Offering a fresh perspective: Millennials and Gen Z run for state office | Arizona Capitol Times

Brendan Trachsel is a Flagstaff-based organizer and two-time Northern Arizona University alum, holding a B.S. in Parks and Recreation Management and an M.Ed. in Counseling – Student Affairs.

Brendan Trachsel for Arizona

Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.

I am a practicing Quaker.

Brendan Trachsel Candidate Profile | iVoterGuide

Brendan Trachsel grew up mostly in San Diego. He holds a Bachelor of Science in parks and recreation management and a Master of Education in counseling and student affairs from Northern Arizona University. He rents in Flagstaff and is a practicing Quaker.

Offering a fresh perspective – millennials and Gen Z run for state office

Brendan Trachsel - Candidate Profile - Voter Guide

WORK & MILITARY
Northern Arizona University, Student Development Coordinator, 2026-

Brendan Trachsel works as a student development coordinator at Northern Arizona University.

Brendan is a first-time candidate for political office.

2026 Arizona General Election

Labor

Worker productivity is ever-increasing while wages remain stagnant. Empowering workers with increased rights on the job, including the right to organize, will allow Arizonans to thrive and live a life of dignity.

All workers deserve the right to collectively bargain, to access affordable and accessible childcare, to be protected by statewide heat safety standards, to utilize paid maternity & paternity leave, and to never work for a sub-minimum wage.

Platform | Brendan Trachsel for Arizona

ECONOMY
What is your position on the minimum wage?

I believe it should be tied to inflation.

List your top 3-5 priorities to eliminate government waste.

Move government operations to open source software, reducing costs of countless licenses and subscriptions that feed into tech corporations. End, or reform, Universal ESA Vouchers (preserving the original program for students with disabilities), opening up over $1 billion per year to invest in our decades-underfunded public education system. Pass legislation giving Arizonans a right to repair their own equipment and technology, rather than relying on price-gouging corporations.

Advocates for collective bargaining rights, affordable childcare, heat-safety standards, paid parental leave, and an end to subminimum wages.

Believes the minimum wage should be tied to inflation.

Proposes moving government operations to open-source software and establishing a right to repair equipment and technology.

- Advocates for collective bargaining rights, affordable childcare, heat-safety standards, paid parental leave, and an end to subminimum wages.
- Believes the minimum wage should be tied to inflation.
- Proposes moving government operations to open-source software and establishing a right to repair equipment and technology.

Economy

CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
What should be the goal of the criminal justice system?

To rehabilitate people to society, ensuring their prolonged success and that they will have every chance to avoid the original conditions that lead to their incarceration so it not be repeated.

What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?

I do not believe in regulating the types of firearms people own, with exception of explosive ammunition. I do support yellow flag laws and age-based restrictions.

Privacy

Arizonans, like Americans nationwide, are rapidly losing their rights to privacy. The state must act now to implement protections for data collection and use.

I believe we need sweeping legislation giving people rights and ownership over their information and data, anti-surveillance laws, right-to-repair legislation, implied warranties for products, and so much more.

Government has a responsibility to protect children from sexual exploitation during online activities.

Agree

This cannot come at the expense of requiring verification checks on every website, eroding our privacy.

Believes the criminal justice system should focus on rehabilitation and reducing the conditions that lead to repeat incarceration.

Supports yellow-flag laws and age-based firearm restrictions, while opposing firearm-type regulations except for explosive ammunition.

Advocates for data ownership rights, limits on surveillance, right-to-repair legislation, and implied product warranties.

Supports government protection of children from online sexual exploitation but opposes universal website verification requirements that erode privacy.

- Believes the criminal justice system should focus on rehabilitation and reducing the conditions that lead to repeat incarceration.
- Supports yellow-flag laws and age-based firearm restrictions, while opposing firearm-type regulations except for explosive ammunition.
- Advocates for data ownership rights, limits on surveillance, right-to-repair legislation, and implied product warranties.
- Supports government protection of children from online sexual exploitation but opposes universal website verification requirements that erode privacy.

Public Safety

RIGHT TO LIFE

Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).

Strongly Disagree

Attempts to physically or socially transition a child to the opposite sex constitute child abuse.

Disagree

Nonconsensual or unprompted attempts are obviously unacceptable.

What change are you hoping to bring to your district and country?
I'm hoping to bring new perspectives to a legislature that currently has no members from Gen Z. I'm hoping to keep and expand healthcare access in our current rural healthcare crisis. I want to expand access to nutritious and healthy food for those who normally have to drive hours to get such.

Brendan Trachsel: Arizona House of Representatives District 6 | Jejune Magazine

Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed?

I believe at the very least, the same protections that Roe v. Wade provided. The moral question is up to the individual, but for the government it's "when should the government have a say?"

HEALTHCARE

What most closely matches your view on healthcare: A) Healthcare for all should be guaranteed and funded by the government with no private healthcare option. (includes "universal healthcare," "medicare for all," etc.) B) Healthcare insurance funded by the government should be available for all who want it, along with private healthcare options. C) Medicaid and Medicare should remain available, but no other taxpayer-funded programs are necessary. D) Taxpayer funded health care should be abolished in all forms, and Medicaid and Medicare should be defunded.

A

Supports taxpayer funding for abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood and Title X grant recipients.

Opposes taxpayer funding for abortion providers.

Disagrees that attempts to physically or socially transition a child constitute child abuse, while opposing nonconsensual or unprompted attempts.

Plans to preserve and expand healthcare access during the rural healthcare crisis.

Plans to preserve and expand healthcare access.

Supports at least the abortion protections provided under Roe v. Wade, stating that the moral question is for the individual.

Supports government-guaranteed healthcare for all without a private healthcare option.

- Opposes taxpayer funding for abortion providers.
- Disagrees that attempts to physically or socially transition a child constitute child abuse, while opposing nonconsensual or unprompted attempts.
- Plans to preserve and expand healthcare access.
- Supports at least the abortion protections provided under Roe v. Wade, stating that the moral question is for the individual.
- Supports government-guaranteed healthcare for all without a private healthcare option.

Healthcare

Education

Arizona’s education system must work to serve all students, and funding should to go the public schools that are required to do so.

This includes free school lunches for all students, repealing the arbitrary Aggregate Expenditure Limit (AEL) that prevents schools from spending money they already have, ending universal school vouchers, creating stipends for student teachers, and providing quality outdoor educational opportunities for all children.

Education

Arizona’s education system must work to serve all students, and funding should to go the public schools that are required to do so.

EDUCATION

I support eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and giving control back to states and communities.

Disagree

Proposes free school meals, repeal of the Aggregate Expenditure Limit, an end to universal school vouchers, student-teacher stipends, and outdoor education opportunities.

Proposes free school meals, not allowing schools to not spend money they have, an end to universal school vouchers, student-teacher stipends, and outdoor education opportunities.

Supports directing education funding to public schools, which are required to serve all students.

Opposes eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and shifting control to states and communities.

- Proposes free school meals, not allowing schools to not spend money they have, an end to universal school vouchers, student-teacher stipends, and outdoor education opportunities.
- Supports directing education funding to public schools, which are required to serve all students.
- Opposes eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and shifting control to states and communities.

Education

Environment

We have the power to improve our environment for all. Not just the natural environment, but where we live, work, and communicate.

We must issue a moratorium on data center construction, test our farmland statewide for PFAS (forever chemicals) contamination, secure water rights and access for tribal communities, increase restrictions on uranium mining & hauling, expand rural food access, smooth the “benefit cliff”, increase the use of community response teams, invest in public housing, create climate resilience grants for organizations and individuals, and create a legal requirement for tribal consultation.

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

Man-made climate change is a global threat and requires urgent political action.

Strongly Agree

What do you believe is the most reliable energy source that will supply the growing demand for electricity?

Solar with storage capacities, such as pumped hydropower and other shorter term solutions.

Calls for a moratorium on data-center construction, statewide farmland testing for PFAS contamination, tribal water access, and tighter uranium-mining and hauling restrictions.

Proposes climate-resilience grants and a legal requirement for tribal consultation.

Believes human-caused climate change requires urgent political action.

Identifies solar power with energy storage, including pumped hydropower, as the most reliable source for growing electricity demand.

- Calls for a moratorium on data-center construction, statewide farmland testing for PFAS contamination, tribal water access, and tighter uranium-mining and hauling restrictions.
- Proposes climate-resilience grants and a legal requirement for tribal consultation.
- Believes human-caused climate change requires urgent political action.
- Identifies solar power with energy storage, including pumped hydropower, as the most reliable source for growing electricity demand.

Energy & the Environment

Democracy

The power belongs to The People, and our elections must provide them the greatest voice possible in government.

Arizona should be a shining example of election access and integrity, banning dark money in our elections, implementing ranked choice voting, expanding use of multi-member districts, and allowing same day voter registration.

ELECTIONS AND VOTING

People should be able to vote without photo identification.

Disagree

I believe there are many ways to adequately protect elections. Over 80% of ballots cast in Arizona are by mail and have been continually demonstrated, even through partisan auditing, that they are secure.

Advocates for banning dark money, ranked-choice voting, multi-member districts, and same-day voter registration.

Advocates for banning "dark money," ranked-choice voting, multi-member districts, and same-day voter registration.

Opposes voting without photo identification, while saying Arizona's mail ballots have been demonstrated to be secure.

- Advocates for banning "dark money," ranked-choice voting, multi-member districts, and same-day voter registration.
- Opposes voting without photo identification, while saying Arizona's mail ballots have been demonstrated to be secure.

Voting & Elections

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Brendan Trachsel

- Supports directing education funding to public schools, which are required to serve all students.
- Opposes eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and shifting control to states and communities.

- Advocates for data ownership rights, limits on surveillance, right-to-repair legislation, and implied product warranties.
- Supports government protection of children from online sexual exploitation but opposes universal website verification requirements that erode privacy.

- Supports at least the abortion protections provided under Roe v. Wade, stating that the moral question is for the individual.
- Supports government-guaranteed healthcare for all without a private healthcare option.

- Proposes climate-resilience grants and a legal requirement for tribal consultation.
- Believes human-caused climate change requires urgent political action.
- Identifies solar power with energy storage, including pumped hydropower, as the most reliable source for growing electricity demand.

- Opposes voting without photo identification, while saying Arizona's mail ballots have been demonstrated to be secure.

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- Your state representatives represent the interests of your local district in the Arizona State House of Representatives. The State House of Representatives, along with the State Senate, makes up the state lawmaking body: the Arizona Legislature.
- Your state representatives can author, sponsor, and vote on bills that may become state laws.
- Arizona has 30 districts, and each district is represented by two State Representatives, making a total of 60 State Representatives.
- State Representatives are elected to two-year terms. They are paid a yearly salary of $24,000. They only serve in the role part-time.

Your representative and state lawmaker in the Arizona House of Representatives