Most of the pressure and attention of this year’s election cycle will be on the presidential campaign and its impact and results. However, local elections in Arizona and Pima County affect University of Arizona students and their future as well.
Voters might overlook ballot measures when headed to the polls. While not a comprehensive list, the following are some key measures that will appear on the ballot for Arizonans in November.
Proposition 139: “Establish a state constitutional right to abortion.”
A yes vote would add the right to an abortion to the Arizona constitution.
A no vote would keep the Arizona constitution as it is and not add the right to an abortion to the official state constitution.
This proposition represents a hot-button issue in Arizona politics and nationwide. Following a 2022 Supreme Court ruling that left the decision on abortion rights to the states, in May, Arizona tried to revert back to a Civil War-era abortion law. States all over the U.S. have proposed similar propositions.
Proposition 136: “[Provides] for challenges to an initiative measure or constitutional amendment after the filing of the measure with the secretary of state.”
Proposition 136 would allow voters to challenge the constitutionality of a proposed initiative in court up to 100 days before an election. Under current Arizona law, individuals can only challenge the constitutionality of an initiative after the initiative has become law.
Supporters argue the proposition gives voters more say and ensures constitutional ballot measures, while opponents worry about chaos and increased costs.
Proposition 138: “[Allows] for tipped workers to be paid 25% less per hour than the minimum wage if any tips received by the employee were not less than the minimum wage plus $2 for all hours worked.”
The current Arizona law regarding tipped workers mandates an hourly wage of $11.35, which is $3 less than the current state minimum wage, as long as their take-home pay, with tips included, equaled the minimum wage.
The proposition would have workers paid $10.77, as long as their tips equal minimum wage plus $2 for every hour worked.
The argument for this proposition is that it will help smaller businesses that do not have the means to pay their workers minimum wage.
The argument against this proposition is that restaurants that want to stay alive should be able to pay their workers fairly and not have workers depend on tips.
Proposition 314: “[Allows] for state and local police to arrest noncitizens who cross the border unlawfully, [allows] for state judges to order deportations, [requires] the use of the e-verify program for some public governmental programs and employment eligibility purposes, and [makes] the sale of fentanyl a Class 2 felony if a person knowingly sells fentanyl resulting in the death of another person.”
The proposition allows for the arrest of noncitizens due to unlawful entry, mandates using E-Verify for welfare program applications and imposes a Class 6 felony for providing false information.
Supporters of the proposition argue that it would provide a secure border and tighten the control of illegal immigration from foreign countries.
The argument against this proposition is that it will put more pressure on law enforcement to act as federal officers, potentially hurt Arizona’s economy and that there are better ways to improve border security, such as more border patrol agents and a better asylum system.
Proposition 313: “Establish[es] a life sentence for anyone convicted of a Class 2 felony for child sex trafficking.”
Current Arizona law states that if someone is found guilty of trafficking someone between the ages of 15-17, they can receive 10–24 years in prison. If someone is found guilty of trafficking anyone under 15, they will receive a minimum of 13 years.
A yes vote will eliminate the current year ranges and sentence anyone charged with these crimes to a natural life sentence with no chance of release.
Opponents of this bill reference how sometimes minors are coerced by their traffickers to sex traffic someone younger than them. People worry that these minors who are already traumatized will receive an immediate life sentence for something they had no choice in doing.
Proposition 135: “[Provides] for the legislature to terminate a state of emergency or alter the emergency powers of the governor during the state of emergency, and provide for any emergency powers granted to the governor to automatically terminate 30 days after the state of emergency is proclaimed, unless the state legislature extends the emergency powers granted to the governor, and except in cases for a state of war emergency or an emergency arising from a flood or a fire.”
This proposition aims to enshrine more checks on the executive branch within the Arizona state constitution. Supporters of the bill believe there are no solid checks and balances to curb the governor’s power.
People who oppose this proposition believe that if it passes, it will be much harder for Arizonans to get the benefits they need in a state of emergency, especially if Congress is not in session at the time to provide the ⅓ signatures required.
At the local level, Tucson voters decide on local courts, law enforcement and school board members. These races affect Tucson’s culture and regional crime. The Tucson Unified School District School Board candidates include Pilar Acosta Ruiz, Esteban Flores, Natalie Luna Rose, Ravi Shah and Sadie Shaw. The election allows for the selection of three candidates.
Other local Pima County races include:
Pima County Assessor:
- Suzanne Droubie (Incumbent), Dem.
Pima County Attorney:
- Laura Conover (Incumbent), Dem.
- Howard Druan, Green Party
Pima County Recorder
- Gabriella Cázares-Kelly (Incumbent), Dem.
- Dominic Campbell-Gonzalez, Rep.
Pima County School Superintendent
- Dustin Williams (Incumbent), Dem.
Pima County Sheriff
- Chris Nanos (Incumbent), Dem.
- Heather Lappin, Rep.
Pima County Treasurer
- Brian Johnson, Dem.
- John Ackerley, Rep.
Pima County Board of Supervisors District 5
- Adelita Grijalva (Incumbent), Dem.
According to data from Arizona voters, some of the main issues for voters across the state include:
- Improving infrastructure
- Enhancing education by addressing funding levels and overall teaching quality
- Opposing cuts to education, healthcare and public safety as a means to balance the state budget
- Enacting immigration reform
- Increasing the availability of affordable housing
Many of these decisions depend on local-level candidates enforcing these policies or listening to their communities before proposing or enacting legislation at the state level. For example, the TUSD School Board might listen to Tucson voters’ concerns about the level of funding for education.
Another significant issue that candidates speak about in Tucson is increased crime.
According to the Center for the Future of Arizona, Tucson voters in particular are very concerned about the state of current roads, the funding of local education programs and that Tucson voters do not feel like legislators are listening to the number of diverse voices in the Tucson community.
Arizona voters, being close to the border, are also likely to be concerned about border security.
Arizona has become a critical state on the national level in the state’s Senate race and is a target for presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.
The Senate race includes Democrat Ruben Gallego and Republican Kari Lake. Lake has a history in Arizona as the former opponent of current Governor Katie Hobbs and a close ally of former President Trump.
Lake recently lost her appeals court challenge, in which she argued that Phoenix ballots had not been appropriately verified in 2022, causing her to lose the race for governor.
Gallego has been a U.S. representative for AZ District 3 since 2023. District 3 covers most of West Phoenix, including parts of Glendale.
Arizona has also become a battleground state in the presidential election. In Harris’ first rallies after announcing her campaign, she visited swing states, including Arizona.
Arizona is a swing state, meaning that it could be won by either presidential candidate and so each campaign focuses a large part of their resources on it. Therefore, Trump and Harris will most likely pay attention to critical issues for states like Arizona to campaign for the voters in their respective parties and win over the popular vote and the electoral college delegates.
These fundamental issues, according to a report from U.S. News, will most likely include creating hard policy stances regarding immigration, the economy and abortion following the heated debate in Arizona courts regarding abortion earlier this year.
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