| John Giles | |
| Office: | 40th Mayor of Mesa |
| Term Start: | September 18, 2014 |
| Predecessor: | Scott Smith Alex Finter (acting) |
| Birth Place: | Mesa, Arizona, U.S. |
| Children: | 5 |
| Party: | Republican |
| Education: | Brigham Young University (BA) Arizona State University, Tempe (JD) |
John C. Giles (born 1959 or 1960) is an American politician serving as the 40th mayor of Mesa, Arizona.[1] A Republican, Giles previously served as a member of the Mesa City Council from 1996 to 2000. Giles was elected mayor of Mesa in a 2014 special election following the resignation of Mayor Scott Smith.
Giles was born in Mesa, Arizona. He graduated from Westwood High School in 1978. He attended Brigham Young University, graduating with a political science degree in 1984. Giles received his JD from Arizona State University's Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law in 1987.
Giles works as a lawyer with the firm Giles & Dickson.[2] Giles was the president of the East Valley Bar Association from 1992 until 1993.[3]
Giles was elected to the Mesa City Council in 1996, serving until 2000, including a term as vice mayor from 1998 until 2000.[4]
Following Mayor Scott Smith's resignation in 2014, Giles was elected mayor in a special election, for a term lasting until 2017.[5] He was sworn in on September 18, 2014.[6] [7] Giles is a registered Republican, although the position of mayor is officially nonpartisan.
In 2016, Giles was reelected to a full four-year term, which lasted until 2021.[8] He was again reelected in 2020 and began his second full term in January 2021.[9]
As mayor, Giles led the adoption of a city-wide non-discrimination ordinance[10] and climate action plan.[11]
In 2024, Giles opposed bipartisan Arizona state legislation to increase housing supply in the state amid a housing shortage.[12] [13] The legislation proposed to remove red tape by restricting the abilities of Arizona cities from mandating home owners associations, minimum home sizes, and community amenities. Giles argued that "silencing our neighborhoods is not the solution to the housing crisis."
Giles endorsed Democrat Mark Kelly over Republican Blake Masters in the 2022 U.S. Senate election.[14] The Arizona Republican Party censured Giles over his endorsement of Kelly.[15] He endorsed Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 United States presidential election over Donald Trump, the Republican nominee.[16] He and former Arizona representative Robin Shaw are co-chairing the state chapter of Republicans for Harris.[17] He spoke at the 2024 Democratic National Convention on August 20.[18]
Giles and his wife, Dawn, have five children and eight grandchildren.[1] Giles is a marathoner and triathlete who has completed two full Ironman competitions, twenty marathons, and four Boston Marathons.[19]