Yuma Mayor Douglas Nicholls seeks another term, eyes long-range planning

Douglas Nicholls is asking Yuma voters to give him another term as mayor, with long-range planning and a guarded approach to new development forming the heart of his pitch. The city’s 27th mayor faces write-in challenger Carlos Adams in the 2026 race, with a primary set for July 21 and the general election on November 3.

Nicholls has built that argument on a life tied closely to Yuma. He moved here at age 4, graduated from Yuma High School, studied engineering at Arizona State University and returned to the city in 1999 after marrying his high school sweetheart. He is a father of four, a grandfather of two and a Catholic deacon, and he has said those family and faith commitments shape how he approaches public office.

The mayor has made it clear he thinks about politics one term at a time and talks through future decisions with his family before deciding to run again. City records show Nicholls was first elected mayor in 2014, after serving as a councilmember in 2009, and was re-elected to a third term beginning in January 2023. At a June 4 candidate forum, Nicholls and Adams presented voters with a familiar choice between continuity and change.

Nicholls is tying his re-election case to the city’s own planning machinery. The City of Yuma says its long-range planning staff administers the General Plan, handles annexation requests and updates facility plans, while annual council retreats have been held since 2020 to develop and review the Strategic Plan. The city’s proposed FY 2027 budget totals about $570.8 million across all funds, a sign of how much is already riding on decisions about growth, capital projects and basic services.

He said the next four years should focus on getting every department to think 20 or 30 years ahead, not just through the next budget cycle. Nicholls pointed to work already done on fire department planning, roadways, arts, parks, trails and recreation, saying Yuma needs to decide what it wants to become before growth forces those choices on the city.

Data centers have become one of the clearest tests of that approach. Nicholls said he views artificial intelligence data centers with caution and wants updated analysis before supporting them, arguing that older reports may no longer reflect current technology or the real impact on neighborhoods. As of April 6, no data center applications or permit requests had been submitted to the city, even as residents and activists showed up at a City Council meeting to oppose the idea. The issue has already pulled land use, water, power and jobs into the center of the city’s political conversation.

The city has also recognized Nicholls for work involving border security, public safety, water rights, housing and economic development. He has been appointed to the Arizona Space Commission and has played roles connected to 4FrontED and Elevate Southwest, adding to the image of a mayor who wants to be judged on whether Yuma is planning carefully enough for the next decade, not just the next election.