Malcolm Rivera
Arizona is one of thirty-six states that allow some form of referendum in their constitutions. Arizona's history of initiative and referendum began when it acquired statewide initiative, referendum, and recall rights at the time of statehood in 1912. The first initiative in the state was for women's suffrage and passed by a margin of greater than two to one on November 5, 1912. In Arizona, citizens have the power to initiate legislation as either a state statute or constitutional amendment and can also repeal legislation via veto referendum.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Citizens' power | Citizens of Arizona may initiate legislation as a state statute or constitutional amendment. They also have the power to repeal legislation via veto referendum. |
| State legislature power | The Arizona State Legislature may place measures on the ballot as legislatively referred constitutional amendments or legislatively referred state statutes. |
| State committee power | The Arizona Commission on Salaries for Elective State Officers is one of the few state committees that have the power to place measures on the ballot. |
| Signature requirements | The number of signatures needed to place a measure on the ballot is based on the total number of votes cast for the governor in the preceding election. |
| Subject restrictions | Initiatives and amendments are not governed by subject restrictions but are required to designate a funding source if they mandate state expenditures. |
| Referendum restrictions | Referendums may not repeal laws necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or for the support and maintenance of the departments of the state government and state institutions. |
| Veto restrictions | Veto referendums cannot be used on emergency legislation. |
| Ballot requirements | When any initiative or referendum petition or any measure referred to the people by the legislature is filed with the secretary of state, they shall cause the title and number of the measure, along with "yes" and "no", to be printed on the official ballot. |
| Publication requirements | The text of all measures to be submitted shall be published as proposed amendments to the constitution. |
| Legislative authority | The legislature shall not have the power to adopt any measure that supersedes, in whole or in part, any initiative or referendum measure decided by a majority of the votes cast thereon, unless the superseding measure furthers the purpose of the initiative or referendum measure and at least three-fourths of the members of each house of the legislature vote to supersede it. |
| Veto power | The veto power of the governor shall not extend to an initiative or referendum measure decided by a majority of the votes cast thereon. |
| Repeal power | The legislature shall not have the power to repeal an initiative or referendum measure decided by a majority of the votes cast thereon. |
| History | Arizona acquired statewide initiative, referendum, and recall rights at the time of statehood in 1912. The first initiative in the state was for women's suffrage and passed by a margin of greater than two to one on November 5, 1912. |
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What You'll Learn
- Arizona citizens can initiate legislation as a state statute or constitutional amendment
- Citizens can repeal legislation via veto referendum
- The Arizona State Legislature can place measures on the ballot
- Arizona acquired statewide initiative, referendum, and recall rights in 1912
- Arizona is one of 26 states with initiative and/or veto referendum processes
Arizona citizens can initiate legislation as a state statute or constitutional amendment
In Arizona, citizens also have the power to repeal legislation via veto referendum. The Arizona State Legislature may place measures on the ballot as legislatively referred constitutional amendments or legislatively referred state statutes. The process for filing petition applications for initiatives and referendums varies from state to state. In Arizona, the number of signatures needed to place a measure on the ballot is based on the total number of votes cast for the governor in the preceding election. For an initiative constitutional amendment (ICA), 15% of the votes cast for the governor are required.
Once an initiative or referendum petition is filed with the secretary of state, it will be printed on the official ballot at the next regular general election, along with the words "yes" and "no" to indicate approval or disapproval. After the election, the secretary of state, in the presence of the governor and the chief justice of the supreme court, must canvass the votes for and against each measure or proposed amendment within 30 days. The governor then issues a proclamation declaring the whole number of votes cast for and against each measure or amendment, and those that are approved by a majority (60% for tax-related measures) become law.
The legislature does not have the power to supersede any initiative or referendum measure approved by a majority of votes, unless the superseding measure furthers the purpose of the original measure and at least three-fourths of the members of each house of the legislature vote to supersede it.
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Citizens can repeal legislation via veto referendum
Arizona is one of 26 states that allow citizens to initiate legislation through the petition process. Citizens of Arizona may initiate legislation as either a state statute or constitutional amendment. Arizona citizens also have the power to repeal legislation via veto referendum, which is a form of direct democracy that allows citizens to challenge and potentially overturn laws passed by the state legislature.
To place a measure on the ballot in Arizona, citizens must collect a certain number of signatures. The number of signatures required is based on the total number of votes cast for the governor in the preceding election. For a veto referendum, 5% of the votes cast for governor are needed. Once the required number of signatures has been collected, the measure can be placed on the ballot for a statewide vote.
It's important to note that there are some restrictions on the types of laws that can be repealed through a veto referendum in Arizona. Referendums may not repeal laws that are "immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or for the support and maintenance of the state government and state institutions." This includes emergency legislation, as well as tax increases and decreases, except for taxes to fund a new department.
The process of initiating a veto referendum in Arizona involves citizens proposing a measure, collecting the required number of signatures, and then placing the measure on the ballot for a statewide vote. If a majority of voters approve the measure, it becomes law. The governor does not have the power to veto a referendum measure that has been decided by a majority of votes. Additionally, the legislature does not have the power to repeal or supersede a referendum measure without a three-fourths majority in each house.
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The Arizona State Legislature can place measures on the ballot
Arizona is one of 26 states that allow some form of referendum in their constitutions. Citizens of Arizona may initiate legislation as either a state statute or constitutional amendment. In Arizona, citizens also have the power to repeal legislation via veto referendum.
In Arizona, the number of signatures required for an initiated constitutional amendment for the ballot is 15% of the votes cast for governor in the most recent gubernatorial election. For an initiated state statute, the number of signatures required is 10% of the votes cast for the office of governor in the most recent gubernatorial election. Signatures must be submitted four months prior to the election at which the measure is to appear.
The Arizona Commission on Salaries for Elective State Officers is one of the few state committees that have the power to place measures on the ballot.
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Arizona acquired statewide initiative, referendum, and recall rights in 1912
Arizona is one of twenty-six states that allow some form of referendum in their constitutions. Arizona acquired statewide initiative, referendum, and recall rights at the time of statehood in 1912.
The first initiative in the state was for women's suffrage and it passed by a margin of greater than two to one on November 5, 1912. The following year, in 1914, a total of 15 initiatives qualified for the Arizona ballot – a record for initiative use in that state which stood for over a century. Four of the 1914 initiatives passed due to the efforts of organized labor. One initiative prohibited blacklisting union members, a second established an "old age and mothers' pension", a third established a state government contract system, and a fourth limited businesses' employment of non-citizens. Lastly, voters in 1914 passed an initiative that barred the governor and legislature from amending or repealing initiatives.
In response to the 1914 initiatives, the state legislature tried to pass a constitutional amendment that would make it more difficult to pass initiatives. However, this amendment could only take effect if approved by voters, and it was ultimately defeated by a narrow margin in 1916.
In Arizona, citizens have the power to initiate legislation as either a state statute or constitutional amendment. Citizens also have the power to repeal legislation via veto referendum, though there are some exceptions. For example, referendums may not repeal laws that are "immediately necessary for the preservation of public peace, health, or safety". The Arizona State Legislature may also place measures on the ballot as legislatively referred constitutional amendments or state statutes.
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Arizona is one of 26 states with initiative and/or veto referendum processes
In Arizona, citizens may initiate legislation as either a state statute or constitutional amendment. Citizens also have the power to repeal legislation via veto referendum. The Arizona State Legislature may place measures on the ballot as legislatively referred constitutional amendments or legislatively referred state statutes. The Arizona Commission on Salaries for Elective State Officers is one of the few state committees with the power to place measures on the ballot.
In Arizona, the number of signatures needed to place a measure on the ballot is based on the total number of votes cast for the governor in the preceding election. For an initiative or referendum to approve a tax, it must be approved by 60% of the votes cast and upon proclamation by the governor. For all other initiatives and referendums, they become law when approved by a simple majority of the votes cast.
The initiative and referendum powers are reserved for qualified electors of every incorporated city, town, and county as to all local, city, town, or county matters on which such incorporated cities, towns, and counties are empowered by general laws to legislate.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Arizona acquired statewide referendum rights in 1912 when it became a state.
The process of filing a referendum in Arizona involves:
- Proposing a measure: 10% of qualified electors can propose a measure, and 15% can propose an amendment to the constitution.
- Filing a petition application: Before collecting signatures, an application form must be filed with the Arizona secretary of state.
- Collecting signatures: The number of signatures required is based on the votes cast for the governor in the preceding election.
- Ballot placement: If the signature requirement is met, the referendum is placed on the official ballot for the next regular general election.
- Vote and proclamation: The referendum becomes law if approved by a majority of votes cast and upon proclamation by the governor.
The governor does not have the power to veto a referendum that has been approved by a majority of votes cast.
Arizona has a history of successful referendums, including:
- Women's suffrage in 1912
- Barring the governor and legislature from amending or repealing initiatives in 1914
- Establishing a Medicaid program in 1982
