by Nicole Fisher
On November 8, Arizona voters will decide on 10 statewide ballot measures. This is the highest number of measures on the Arizona ballot since 2010, when there were 11 measures on the ballot. In 2020, the previous even-year election, there were two measures on the ballot, both of which were approved.
This year’s measures are below:
- Proposition 128: Allows the Legislature to amend or repeal voter-approved ballot measures that contain provisions ruled unconstitutional or invalid by the state or federal supreme court.
- Proposition 129: Requires citizen-initiated ballot measures to embrace a single subject.
- Proposition 130: Allows the Legislature to set certain property tax exemption amounts and qualifications rather than determining details in the constitution.
- Proposition 131: Creates the office of Lieutenant Governor, a position which would be elected on a joint ticket with the governor and succeed the governor in the case of a vacancy.
- Proposition 132: Requires a three-fifths (60%) supermajority vote to pass ballot initiatives (both statutes and constitutional amendments) and legislatively referred amendments that would approve taxes.
- Proposition 209: Limits interest rates for debt from healthcare services and increases the value of certain property and earnings exempt from debt collection processes.
- Proposition 211: Requires that persons or entities that make an independent expenditure of $50,000 or more on a statewide campaign or $25,000 or more on a local campaign must disclose the names of the money’s original sources, which would be defined as the persons or businesses that earned the money being spent.
- Proposition 308: Repeals provisions of Proposition 300 (2006), thus allowing in-state tuition for certain non-citizen residents.
- Proposition 309: Requires date of birth and voter identification number for mail-in ballots and eliminates two-document alternative to photo ID for in-person voting.
- Proposition 310: Creates a 0.1% sales tax for 20 years to provide funding for Arizona’s fire districts.
Two measures—Proposition 209 and Proposition 211—were referred to the ballot by citizens through the initiative process, while the rest were referred to the ballot by the Arizona State Legislature. Out of the eight measures referred to the ballot by the state legislature, five would amend Arizona’s constitution, while three would amend state statute.
Ballotpedia has identified five campaigns in support or opposition of the measures. Propositions 129, 209, 211, 308, 309, and 310 have a political action committee (PAC) supporting the measure, while Propositions 128, 129, and 132 have a PAC opposing the measure.
The contribution amounts of each campaign are below:
- Arizonans Fed Up With Failing Healthcare, which supports Proposition 209, has raised $8 million in support of the measure while spending $7.85 million.
- Voters’ Right to Know, which supports Proposition 211, has raised $1.36 million in support of the measure while spending $1.31 million.
- Yes on 308, which supports Proposition 308, has raised $1.21 million in support of the measure, while spending $1.16 million.
- Arizonans for Voter ID, which supports Proposition 309, has raised $110,563 in support of the measure while spending $70,444.
- Arizonans for Public Safety Yes on 310, which supports Proposition 310, has raised $440,825 in support of the measure while spending $352,952.
- Make it Simple Arizona, which supports Proposition 129, has not yet submitted campaign finance reports.
- Will of the People, which opposes Proposition 128, Proposition 129, and Proposition 132, has raised $324,992 in support of the measure while spending $104,962.
In total, the campaigns have raised $11.4 million and spent $10.8 million. Arizonans Fed Up With Failing Healthcare has raised the most amount of money, with the top donor, SEIU United Healthcare Workers, contributing $4.03 million in cash and in-kind contributions.
In Arizona, between 1985 and 2020, a total of 168 ballot measures appeared on statewide ballots. Eighty-nine ballot measures were approved, and 79 ballot measures were defeated.
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This article appeared on The Center Square and was written by Nicole Fisher, a regular contributor to Ballotpedia.
Photo “Election Day” by Phil Roeder. CC BY 2.0.
