Malcolm Rivera
The Arizona Constitution is the governing document and framework for the State of Arizona. It is significantly longer than the US Constitution, with approximately 49,000 words across 30 articles. The length of the Arizona Constitution is due in part to its detail and specificity, as it outlines the powers, structure, and limitations of the state government, individual and civil rights, and other matters. Arizona's constitution also reflects the state's democratic procedures, with a focus on citizen participation in government, making it more responsive to the wishes of local citizens. The document has been amended frequently, with 161 amendments as of 2024, to address the evolving needs and views of Arizonans.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Length | 49,000 words |
| Amendments | 161 |
| Date Adopted | 1912 |
| Number of Articles | 30 |
| Responsiveness to Citizens | High |
| Ease of Amendment | High |
| Unique Institutions | Yes |
| Language | Different from US Constitution |
| Civil Liberties | More Expansive |
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What You'll Learn
Arizona's constitution is responsive to citizens' wishes
Arizona's constitution is a document that is highly responsive to the wishes of its citizens. The state's residents take great pride in their democratic procedures, which are designed to increase citizen participation in government. For example, through the ballot referendum, citizens can directly vote on legislation; through the citizen initiative, individuals can place questions and proposals on the general ballot for consideration; and through the recall, citizens can remove a representative they deem corrupt or unresponsive without waiting for the next election.
The Arizona Constitution has been amended far more frequently than the federal Constitution, with 161 amendments as of 2024. This is because the framers of the state Constitution created a document that could be easily amended to reflect the views of its citizens. Arizona requires merely the gathering of signatures and a majority vote in a subsequent election to amend its constitution, whereas the US Constitution has a super-majoritarian process in Article V.
The Arizona Constitution also contains more expansive civil liberties and builds several unique institutions specific to the state's political community. For example, Article 18 and Article 25 regulate child labor and define a workday as eight hours, while Article 19 creates the office of State Mine Inspector. The constitution also includes provisions that are normally outside of Congress's subject jurisdiction, such as the right to religious freedom, the banning of polygamy, and the banning of the importation of intoxicating liquors onto Indian reserves until 1957.
The length of the Arizona Constitution, at approximately 49,000 words, reflects the need for state constitutions to restrict what a state government can and cannot do. This is in contrast to the US Constitution, which preserves the presumption of power for state authority. The Arizona Constitution's length also allows it to include technical details that are important to governance but may not be of common use to the average citizen.
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It's easier to amend than the US Constitution
The Arizona Constitution is far easier to amend than the US Constitution. The Arizona Constitution has been amended 161 times, with five voter-approved changes between 2022 and 2024 alone. In contrast, amending the US Constitution is a super-majoritarian process, requiring a consensus that is difficult to achieve.
Arizona's constitution reflects its citizens' pride in establishing democratic procedures that increase citizen participation in government. Citizens can directly vote on legislation through the ballot referendum, place questions and proposals on the general ballot through the citizen initiative, and remove unresponsive representatives without waiting for the next election through the recall process.
The Arizona Constitution can be amended by gathering signatures and a majority vote in a subsequent election. The only exception is for amendments imposing a tax increase, which requires supermajority approval. This ease of amendment empowers citizens to make choices about how they wish to govern themselves and turn to the state constitution to enact those choices.
For example, in response to a widely criticized opinion that increasing tax revenue did not count as a "public use" necessary to forcibly purchase property from citizens, Arizona citizens used the initiative process provided by their constitution to make a similar change to their laws. Additionally, Arizona's constitution was amended in 2024 to include an explicit right to abortion.
The Arizona Constitution's responsiveness to the wishes of its local citizenry is further reflected in its frequent amendments. The ability to readily amend their constitution allows Arizonans to shape their state's laws and adapt them to changing circumstances.
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Arizona's constitution has been amended more frequently
Arizona's constitution has been amended far more frequently than the US Constitution. The Arizona Constitution, with approximately 49,000 words, is far longer than the US Constitution. This is because citizens must restrict what a state government can and cannot do. Arizona's constitution reflects a large degree of responsiveness to the wishes of the local citizenry. The state's residents took great pride in establishing democratic procedures that would increase citizen participation in government. Through the ballot referendum, citizens could directly vote on legislation. Through the citizen initiative, individuals could place questions and proposals on the general ballot for consideration. Citizens would not have to wait for the next election to oust a representative they deemed corrupt or unresponsive.
Arizona's constitution is also easier to amend than the US Constitution's super-majoritarian process in Article V. Arizona requires merely the gathering of signatures and a majority vote in a subsequent election. An exception is made for amendments that impose a tax increase, which requires supermajority approval. For example, citizens of Arizona used the initiative process to make a change to their laws regarding increasing tax revenue. This has been done for over 100 years, with citizens making choices about how they wish to govern themselves.
Arizona's constitution has been amended 161 times, with voters last approving a new amendment on November 5, 2024. The constitution has also been amended in 2022 and 2025. The 2024 amendment included changes to Article 2, which now contains an explicit right to abortion. Other amendments include the addition of a lieutenant governor, the consolidation and modification of property tax exemptions, and the requirement that initiatives or referenda enacting a tax require approval by sixty percent of voters.
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It contains more expansive civil liberties
The Arizona Constitution is far longer than the US Constitution, with the former containing approximately 49,000 words. This is because citizens must restrict what a state government can and cannot do, and the Arizona Constitution has been amended far more frequently than the federal Constitution. The Arizona Constitution has been designed to be highly responsive to the wishes of the local citizenry.
The Arizona Constitution contains more expansive civil liberties than the US Constitution. The Arizona Constitution's Declaration of Rights is the state's equivalent of the Bill of Rights. Notably, in 2024, Article 2 was amended to contain an explicit right to abortion. The Arizona Constitution also includes provisions on labour, such as regulating child labour and defining a workday as eight hours, as well as declaring Arizona a right-to-work state.
Article 19 of the Arizona Constitution establishes the freedom of religion, bans polygamy, and outlines the rights of Indigenous people, including a historical ban on the importation of intoxicating liquors onto Indian reserves. It also requires state officials to be proficient in English. These sections can only be repealed with the approval of Congress, although the validity of this rule has been questioned.
The Arizona Constitution also includes provisions on healthcare, stating that citizens cannot be forced to purchase healthcare or fined for not doing so. Additionally, it establishes English as the official language of the state.
The Arizona Constitution's length and detail reflect the state's commitment to democratic procedures and citizen participation in government. Through ballot referendums, citizen initiatives, and recalls, Arizonans have a significant say in how they are governed. This is further evidenced by the ease with which the Arizona Constitution can be amended compared to the US Constitution.
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Arizona's constitution is a document of approximately 49,000 words
The Arizona Constitution is the governing document and framework for the State of Arizona. It is the first and only constitution adopted by the state, and it has been amended 161 times. The current constitution was adopted in 1912, and Arizona became the 48th state on February 14 of that year. The Arizona Constitution contains a preamble and 30 articles, with Articles 23 and 24 having been repealed and Article 30 no longer in force.
The constitution outlines the state government's three divisions: legislative, executive, and judicial. It establishes the legislature and the people through initiative as legislative authority and outlines the qualifications for the state House of Representatives and Senate. The executive department consists of the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, and superintendent of public instruction, each of whom serves four-year terms.
The Arizona Constitution also contains a Declaration of Rights, which is the state's equivalent of the Bill of Rights. This Declaration includes the right to religious freedom, the banning of polygamy, and the right to abortion. Additionally, it regulates child labor, defines a workday as eight hours, and declares Arizona a right-to-work state.
The length of Arizona's constitution reflects the state's commitment to democratic procedures and citizen participation in government. Citizens can directly vote on legislation through ballot referendums and place questions and proposals on the general ballot through citizen initiatives. Arizona's constitution is also designed to be responsive to the wishes of its citizens, making it easier to amend than the US Constitution.
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Frequently asked questions
State constitutions are longer because citizens must restrict what a state government can and cannot do. The Arizona Constitution is also easier to amend than the US Constitution.
The Arizona Constitution is approximately 49,000 words long.
The current Arizona Constitution has been amended 161 times. The constitution was amended most recently in 2024.
![Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States, historical and juridical with observations upon the ordinary provisions of state constitutions and a comparison with the constitu [Leather Bound]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61kelb6mFML._AC_UY218_.jpg)
