These Arizona lawmakers missed the most work in 2026

Arizona’s legislative session this year was filled with dramatic confrontations between legislators and members of the public, plenty of vetoes and failed last-minute political deals ahead of the November midterm elections. Yet some legislators were around more than others to witness the chaos firsthand.

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According to floor attendance records from the Arizona Legislature reviewed by Phoenix New Times, six state representatives missed 10 or more days of the 65 days in which the Arizona House of Representatives held a floor session. In the Arizona Senate, which also had 65 days of floor sessions, five lawmakers missed 10 or more days.

Notably, members of the minority Democratic Party had more absences than their counterparts in the majority. But when you can’t even get a bill heard — Republicans entirely control that process — it might not be all that motivating to show up.

However, attendance records varied widely. During the 2026 session, the average lawmaker missed 4.5 days of work. Of the body’s 92 members who served in this year’s legislature, 23 had perfect attendance. That’s a drastic increase from last year’s session, during which only 11 members had perfect attendance. 

Sessions generally occur Monday through Thursday from early January until late April or early May. The 2026 session, though, lasted into mid-June as legislators and Gov. Katie Hobbs negotiated a bipartisan state budget.

It’s not surprising that most lawmakers wouldn’t be there every single day. Arizona has a part-time legislature that pays lawmakers an annual salary of only $24,000, which hasn’t changed since 1998. That low salary requires many legislators to hold other jobs. Arizona legislators do receive a per diem, the value of which depends on where they live. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Maricopa County-based lawmakers get $35 a day for the first 120 days of the session, after which it drops to $10 a day. In 2023, per the NCSL, lawmakers outside the county received $238 a day for the first 120 days and half that thereafter.

As in the last two years, zero senators had unexcused absences, though Senate President Warren Petersen granted 135 excused absences. On the House side, representatives had 12 unexcused absences, while 263 were excused by House Speaker Steve Montenegro during his second session in the role.

In the Senate, lawmakers can also be marked as “excused & seated,” which means they missed the roll call but did eventually show up. Notably, while he only racked up three excused absences, Republican Sen. J.D. Mesnard was marked late 24 times, the most of any senator. In an email to New Times, Mesnard attributed that tally to “juggling life, particularly mornings before Floor sessions begin.”

Here are the Arizona lawmakers who missed the most work in 2026, and, when available, their explanations for why.

This past session was Blattman’s fourth representing west Mesa as a Democrat. He didn’t respond to New Times’ requests for comment, but before the session even began, he announced that he wouldn’t be running for reelection. According to KJZZ, he cited low pay as one reason, as his family’s furniture store recently closed and the legislature doesn’t pay enough without a second job.  

He missed 10 days during the 2025 legislative session.  

The 2026 session was Connolly’s second serving areas of the East Valley, including Tempe, Scottsdale and parts of Mesa, as a Democrat in the Arizona House. In a video posted to the Arizona House Democrats Facebook page, Connolly shared that she was unable to go to the House floor and vote for “six or seven weeks” due to a lymph node transfer surgery she received at Mayo Clinic in March to help heal the lymphedema in her left leg, which she was diagnosed with in high school. The surgery took a portion of her stomach fat and implanted it in her left thigh, which will allow water to start circulating in her left leg for the first time. 

In an email to New Times, Connolly called the surgery “truly the miracle of my life,” adding that “everyone knew” and her “floor colleagues were very supportive.” 

She only missed three days during the 2025 legislative session. Connolly is running for reelection. 

This year’s session was Abeytia’s second session in the House, where she represents parts of west Phoenix, Maryvale and South Glendale as a Democrat. In a statement texted to New Times, Abeytia attributed her absences to her pregnancy and giving birth during the session. She also questioned New Times’ decision to write this story, which has appeared each of the past three years.

“I understand the argument for transparency, but I do question the idea of publicly singling out legislators’ absences like this. We’re public servants, but we’re also human. We face the same personal and medical realities as anyone else,” she wrote. “I was pregnant and gave birth while serving in office, and I kept doing my job. I’m proud of that. I don’t think I should have to defend myself for missing work for something as personal and significant as childbirth.” 

During her first session last year, Abeytia missed the most days of any legislator, with 16 days, which were related to caring for her kid, she told the Yellow Sheet Report at the time. 

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She isn’t running for reelection. 

The 2026 legislative session was Shamp’s third in the Arizona Senate, where the Republican represents West Valley communities including Goodyear, Surprise, Sun City and Wickenburg. The former Republican majority leader identifies herself as a pro-life constitutional conservative who has been endorsed by President Donald Trump. She is running for reelection. 

She did not respond to questions about her absences.

The 2026 session was Galaldón’s third representing a large chunk of southern Arizona as a Democrat in the Arizona Senate. In an email to New Times, Gabaldón attributed those missing days to a “personal health matter” that “required attention” during the session. 

“I made every effort to schedule care around my Senate responsibilities, to remain informed on legislative matters, and to return as soon as my health allowed,” she wrote. “I take my responsibilities to my constituents and the Senate seriously, and I appreciate the understanding shown during that period.” 

Gabaldón also missed 10 days during the 2025 legislative session. She’s running for reelection. 

This past session was Cavero’s second full session representing South Phoenix and parts of downtown as a Democrat. She was appointed to the position mid-2024 to replace Rep. Marcelino Quinonez, who resigned to run (unsuccessfully) for an open Phoenix City Council seat.

Cavero, who also missed 10 days last session, did not respond to questions about her absences. She is running to retain her seat.

This past session was Hatathlie’s third year in the Arizona Senate, where the Democrat represents a large portion of Northern Arizona, including the Navajo Nation, parts of Flagstaff, Winslow and the site of the Grand Canyon. She didn’t respond to questions about her absences and isn’t running for reelection. 

This was Fernandez’s third session in the Arizona Senate, where the Democrat represents a large chunk of southern Arizona spanning from Buckeye to parts of Yuma and the outskirts of Tucson. He also missed eight floor sessions in 2025. He did not respond to questions and is running for reelection.

The far-right Republican with deep ties to Turning Point USA missed nearly a dozen floor session days during his third year serving his deep East Valley district in the Arizona Senate. He is seeking reelection. Prior to his election to the Senate, he spent two years in the Arizona House. 

While Hoffman didn’t directly explain his absences, in a statement to New Times, he wrote that he’s “extremely proud of my lifetime 97% voting record in the legislature” and wrote that legislative leadership has “routinely” used “wasted time as a point of leverage over members to ensure leadership’s agenda is the primary purpose.”

“It is tremendously disrespectful to elected members of the legislature when leadership drags them hours away from their job, constituents and family to conduct zero to little business,” he wrote in a text message, adding that the legislature should focus on keeping to the 100-day limit.

Last year, Hoffman missed a similar number of days — 11 — which he explained as days on which no actual floor business was conducted. This year, according to New Times’ review of Arizona Senate posting sheets, only five of Hoffman’s absences occurred on days votes were being taken, while votes didn’t occur on six of the days he wasn’t there. 

This past year’s session was Hernandez’s eighth in the Arizona House, where the Democrat represents Tucson. Because of term limits, Hernandez is running for her district’s Arizona Senate seat this year.

Hernandez didn’t respond to questions about her absences. She also missed 10 days last year, which she attributed to scheduling conflicts. 

The 2026 legislative session was Peshlakai’s third year representing a large portion of Northern Arizona — including the Navajo Nation, parts of Flagstaff and Winslow and the Grand Canyon — as a Democrat. She’s running for reelection. 

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Peshlakai didn’t respond to questions from New Times.