Arizona Lawmakers Consider Dozens of Ballot Measures for 2026 Election

Arizona voters may soon face the prospect of lengthy ballots once again, as state lawmakers are considering sending numerous proposals to the electorate. These proposals range from adjustments to the state’s election systems to new guidelines on how public schools handle issues related to transgender students.

Last year, legislators already sent three questions to the 2026 ballot concerning drug cartels, food taxes, and motor vehicle fees. With the conclusion of this legislative session approaching, many more could be added, reminiscent of the 2024 general election when the legislature sent 11 measures to the ballot, most of which failed.

In 2024, the abundance of legislative referrals led to warnings from election officials about potential vote counting delays due to longer ballots. This was evident in Maricopa County, where staff had to work extra shifts to process ballots efficiently, as highlighted by a previous advisory.

Currently, the majority of these proposed referrals come from Republican lawmakers, seeking to bypass potential vetoes by Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs. The Arizona Senate recently approved five measures in a single day, showcasing the urgency and volume of proposals under consideration.

Schools, Pronouns, and Gender Identity

One significant proposal, SCR 1006, targets public school policies. It seeks voter approval to implement measures previously vetoed by Governor Hobbs. These measures include prohibiting school employees from addressing students with pronouns that don’t align with their biological sex, unless parental permission is obtained. It also aims to restrict the use of names other than a student’s legal name without parental consent.

Senator John Kavanagh, the bill’s sponsor, stated, “This bill simply says you cannot call a minor in a school by a pronoun or a first name different than their biological gender without parental permission.” The bill also proposes that schools provide “reasonable accommodation,” such as single-occupancy restrooms, for students uncomfortable using facilities designated for their birth-assigned sex.

Democratic senators opposed the bill, arguing it discriminates against transgender students. “Whether it is a trans girl or a cis girl or a trans boy or a cis boy, they deserve privacy in the locker room,” said Ortiz. Senator Lauren Kuby criticized the bill, questioning if it would lead to intrusive inspections, stating, “What are we going to have, the penis police here?”

Elections

Efforts are also underway to modify Arizona’s election procedures. Republican Senator Shawnna Bolick’s SCR 1014 aims to advance the deadline for returning early ballots to the Friday before the election, instead of the current deadline on Election Day. This change would allow county recorders to start counting earlier, potentially speeding up the process.

The proposal also extends in-person early voting until the Monday before Election Day, replacing the current emergency early voting system. However, Democrats warn that introducing such measures could inadvertently extend ballot lengths and delay results. Minority Leader Priya Sundareshan noted, “That’s what we saw in 2024 when we had so many ballot referrals that we had to have two ballot cards in our major counties, which means double the time for tabulating.”

Another proposal from Bolick seeks to prohibit the influence of foreign money in ballot and referendum elections. While current laws already restrict foreign contributions to political campaigns, Bolick argues that this measure is necessary to close existing loopholes.

Campaign Finance

Senator Kavanagh’s SCR 1002 is also on the table, which proposes raising the threshold for disclosing campaign contributors’ personal information from $100 to $200. This has sparked debate, with Democrats arguing it reduces transparency in campaign finance.

Impeachment

Another significant measure, SCR 1010, seeks to amend the state constitution regarding the impeachment criteria for elected officials. Sponsored by Senator Mark Finchem, the proposal looks to add new grounds for impeachment, including failure to uphold state laws or court orders.

While these measures have passed the Arizona Senate, receiving only Republican support, they must still clear the Arizona House before appearing on the ballot.