Tucson's election schedule faces a new challenge

[RandySF]

PHOENIX — Republican state lawmakers are making yet another try to tell Tucson — and all the state's charter cities — when they can have their elections.Republican state lawmakers

On a party-line vote, the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Elections has approved a measure that would spell out that elections of candidates for all cities, towns and school districts have to occur on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, and only in even-numbered years.

SCR 1027, approved by the committee Friday, awaits a vote of the full Senate.

It's not the first effort by GOP lawmakers to override local laws on when voters go to the polls, elect their officials and decide on ballot issue.



https://tucson.com/news/local/government-politics/elections/article_54400206-fb21-4329-a149-72ee62ad4b28.html

[dobleremolque]

1. Again? Charter city autonomy on this issue is in the freakin' state constitution.

Key Court Rulings on Arizona Charter City Elections:

State ex rel. Brnovich v. City of Tucson (2021): The Arizona Supreme Court confirmed that charter cities are not required to hold local elections with state and national elections (A.R.S. § 16-204.01) if their charter states otherwise, affirming that local election timing is a purely municipal concern.

City of Tucson v. State (Tucson III) (2014): The Court of Appeals held that state-mandated election alignment (requiring even-year elections) improperly intrudes on the constitutional authority of charter cities.

Strode v. City of Phoenix (1951): A foundational case holding that a city charter provision prohibiting partisan designations on the ballot overrides state law requiring them, reinforcing that the method of conducting elections is a local concern.

Tucson's Partisan System: The courts have specifically protected the City of Tucson’s ability to hold partisan elections, rejecting state efforts to force all cities to hold non-partisan elections.

Oh wait. It's Republicans. They are incapable of learning.