Competing primary election plans face resistance

Two competing proposals addressing Arizona's primary election face strong opposition from voters Tuesday night.

Both Proposition 133, which would protect partisan primaries, and Proposition 140, which would end them and create an open primary instead, saw almost identical percentage declines.

The result could change the way primaries are run — or protect the status quo.

Proposition 140 would create open primaries in Arizona and grant independents equal standing with candidates and voters registered with an established political party.

Proposition 133 would eliminate the creation of open primaries and enshrine the current partisan primary system in the state constitution. Additionally, Arizona cities currently holding open primaries would be required to adopt a partisan primary system.

If both measures pass, the one with the most votes would prevail. Proposition 133 was sent to the vote by Republican lawmakers in anticipation of Proposition 140, known as the “Make Elections Fair Arizona Act.”

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Proponents of Proposition 140, a citizen initiative, argue that it will give voters greater choice in elections and force candidates to speak to voters of all faiths rather than pandering to a partisan faction. In their view, this should lead to greater consensus on policy and avoid many of the fringe issues that hold up work on important issues such as housing, water supply and education.

Opponents say the proposal is an overly complicated way to get independent voters more involved in elections. They predict that requiring Arizona to adjust its vote-counting process to allow for ranked-choice voting would lead to confusion and delayed election results, if not outright error.

Critics, led primarily by the Arizona Republican Party and the Free Enterprise Club, also complain that the Yes campaign is downplaying the use of ranked-choice voting, which asks voters to select any list of three or more Candidates for the general elections will be evaluated in turn according to preference. The law provides for this procedure only in elections for an office held by one person.

Other opponents include the leaders of several Democratic districts, the League of Women Voters and Civic Engagement Beyond Voting, a nonprofit that promotes greater participation in day-to-day government.

The “Yes” campaign received more than $10 million in funding. The majority of this came from domestic donors until mid-October. But in late October, donors from other states donated at least $3 million to the initiative.

Her supporters include business leaders, former Gov. Fife Symington and other officials elected through the partisan primary system, as well as Republican and Democratic officials and voters.

This story will be updated as election results are announced.

Reach the reporter at [email protected] or at 602-228-7566 and follow her on Threads and on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @maryjpitzl.

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