Arizona 2016 ballot measures
In 2016, four measures were certified to appear on the ballot in Arizona. Two of them were legislative referrals that appeared on the May 17, 2016, ballot. The other two were initiatives that appeared on the November 8, 2016, ballot.
On November 8, 2016, Arizonans voted on Proposition 205 and Proposition 206. Proposition 205, which would have legalized marijuana, was rejected. Proposition 206 was approved and provided for 40 hours of guaranteed paid sick leave and a $12 minimum wage by 2020.
On May 17, 2016, Proposition 123 and Proposition 124 were approved. Proposition 123 was designed to increase education funding by $3.5 billion over the course of 10 years by allocating money from the general fund and increasing annual distributions of the state land trust permanent funds to education. Proposition 124 was designed to preserve the legislature’s ability to modify public retirement benefits for future employees and to replace the benefit system with a compounding cost of living adjustment.
At least 36 initiatives were filed for spots on the 2016 ballot in Arizona. Many of these were repeat filings of the same or similar measures. Petitioners had until July 7, 2016, to collect the required number of signatures to qualify their initiatives for the 2016 ballot. Six of the potential 2016 measures involved marijuana, with four of these attempting to legalize the drug. Ultimately, Proposition 205 was the only marijuana-related initiative to qualify for the 2016 ballot.
Getting measures on the ballot
Citizens of Arizona may initiate legislation as either a state statute or a 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. In addition, the Arizona Commission on Salaries for Elective State Officers is one of only a few state committees that have the power to place measures on the ballot.
To qualify a measure for the ballot, citizens were required to file at least 150,642 valid signatures for initiated state statutes, 75,321 valid signatures for veto referendums, and 225,963 valid signatures for initiated constitutional amendments.
The 2016 state legislative session ran from January 11, 2016, to April 20, 2016, during which time the Arizona State Legislature was able to place legislative referrals on the ballot.
Historical facts
A total of 111 measures have appeared on statewide ballots since 1996. Ballot measures only appear in even-numbered years in Arizona.
- Between 1996 and 2016, an average of 10 measures appeared on the ballot during even-numbered election years in Arizona.
- From 1996 to 2016, the number of measures on a statewide ballot ranged from three to 19.
- Between 1996 and 2016, about 56 percent (62 of 111) of Arizona ballot measures were approved by voters, about 43 percent (48 of 111) were defeated and about one percent (one of 111) were approved but then overturned.
On the ballot
May 17:
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Proposition 123 | Education | Increase education funding by $3.5 billion over 10 years | |
| LRCA | Proposition 124 | Pension | Retirement benefits of public employees |
November 8:
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CISS | Proposition 205 | Marijuana | Legalize marijuana for individuals older than 21 years of age | |
| CISS | Proposition 206 | Minimum wage | Minimum wage increase; paid sick time |
Cost per required signatures
- See also: Ballot measure signature costs, 2016
The cost per required signatures (CPRS) is a comparison of the amount of money spent on the petition drive to the number of signatures the state requires for an initiative to make the ballot.
Two initiatives were put on the November 2016 ballot in Arizona. Two different petition companies were used. The average cost per required signature for the two initiatives was $5.19. The petition cost for Proposition 206, the minimum wage increase proposal, is not finalized, however, due to a lawsuit filed by Sign Here Petitions, the petition company hired by proponents. The petition company contended that Proposition 206 proponents owe it $65,000 more than was paid. If courts rule in favor of Sign Here Petitions, the total cost of the signature gathering effort for Proposition 206 would increase to $965,000 and the cost per required signature would increase to $6.41. For details, click here.
| Ballot Measure: | Topic: | Petition company | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Proposition 206 | Minimum wage | Sign Here Petitions | $900,981.80 | 150,642 | $5.98 |
| Arizona Proposition 205 | Marijuana | Arizona Petition Partners | $662,658.95 | 150,642 | $4.40 |
| Averages: | N/A | $781,820.38 | N/A | $5.19 |
Not on the ballot
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VR | Political Committee Disclosure of Funds Referendum | Elections and campaigns | Approves Senate Bill 1516, which turned over to the IRS Arizona's duty to register political committees and oversee election spending for 501(a) organizations | 
|
| LRCA | Supermajority for Initiatives Conflicting with Federal Law Amendment | Supermajority | Designed to require 75 percent approval on initiatives that propose a law that conflicts with federal law |
|
| LRCA | Supermajority Required for Constitutional Changes Amendment | Supermajority | Was designed to increase the number of votes required to approve a constitutional amendment to 60 percent |
|
| LRCA | Trust Lands | Budget | Use of revenue from state trust lands |
|
| CICA | No Toll Roads in Arizona Act (C-01) | Transportation | Prohibits existing publicly funded or maintained roadways from being converted into toll roads |
|
| CICA | Re-Legalize Marijuana Initiative (C-02) | Marijuana | Legalizes marijuana, among several other provisions |
|
| CICA | Re-Legalize All Drugs Initiative (C-03) | Marijuana | Legalizes all drugs including cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, marijuana, LSD, and peyote |
|
| CICA | Prop 13 Arizona (C-04) | Taxes | Limits property taxes, phases out the personal property tax in the next three years, and ends the K-12 funding formula |
|
| CICA | 5 to 9 Initiative (C-05) | Redistricting | Replaces the five-member independent redistricting commission with a nine-member commission by 2017 |
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| CICA | Contribution Disclosure Amendment (C-06) | Elections and campaigns | Ensures the full and timely disclosure of "original sources" and "intermediaries" of all major contributions within 24 hours of all expenditures exceeding $10,000 intended to influence candidate elections |
|
| CICA | Open Primary Amendment (C-07) | Elections and campaigns | Creates an open election system where every person qualified to vote, including those not affiliated with any political party, has the right to vote for the candidate of their choice |
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| CICA | Commitment to Public Education Amendment (C-08) | Education | Affirms the state's commitment to public education by mandating that cuts to education spending be approved by two-thirds of the legislature |
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| CICA | Net Metering Amendment (C-09) | Energy | Requires energy companies to compensate solar users who generate excess power at the same price that the energy company charges to its customers |
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| CISS | Industrial Hemp Farming Initiative (I-01) | Marijuana | Allows industrial hemp farming by registered persons |
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| CISS | Medical Marijuana Dispensary Fee Waiver Initiative (I-06) | Marijuana | Eliminates the Arizona state marijuana application fee |
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| CISS | Tuition Increase Limits Initiative (I-13) | Education | Prohibits the Board of Regents from annual tuition increases that exceed inflation |
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| CISS | Legalization and Regulation of Marijuana Act (I-14) | Marijuana | Legalizes marijuana for anyone at least 21 years old, creates regulations on the marijuana industry |
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| CISS | Death Penalty Repeal Initiative (I-16) | Death penalty | Repeals Arizona's death penalty and replaces the sentencing option with life in prison |
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| CISS | Simplified Juries in Family Court Act (I-20) | Civil and criminal trials | Simplifies the jury process in family court |
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| CISS | Hospital Executive Compensation Act (I-21) | Healthcare | Limits total pay for executives, administrators, and managers of healthcare facilities and entities to the annual salary of the President of the United States |
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| CISS | Preemption of State Legislature from Banning Puppy Mills Initiative (I-22) | Treatment of animals | Preserves the right of local governments to pass laws that ban puppy mills |
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| CISS | "Used Car Lemon Law" Initiative (I-23) | Transportation | Requires sellers of used vehicles to guarantee the vehicle for the life of the loan of the vehicle |
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| CISS | Regulation of Contributions to Elected Officials Initiative (I-25) | Government accountability | Places restrictions on lobbyist gifts to elected officials, contributions to campaigns, and former elected officials seeking lobby jobs |
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| CISS | "Clean and Accountable Elections" Act (I-27) | Elections and campaigns | Requires lobbyists to disclose all meals purchased for elected officials, bans lobbyist-funded travel, and regulates additional campaign finance |
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| CISS | Civil and Criminal Fine Proceeds Act (I-28) | Elections and campaigns | Requires that proceeds from civil and criminal fines go to the Classroom Site Fund rather than the Citizens Clean Elections Fund |
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See also
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State of Arizona Phoenix (capital) |
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