Arizona Corporation Commission
| Arizona Corporation Commission | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $79,500 |
| 2025 FY Budget: | $36,193,400 |
| Total Seats: | 5 |
| Term limits: | Two consecutive terms |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | Arizona Constitution, Article 15, Section 1 |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder | |
| Rene Lopez, Lea Marquez Peterson, Nick Myers, Kevin Thompson, Rachel Walden | |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | November 3, 2026 |
| Last election: | November 5, 2024 |
| Other Arizona Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Superintendent of Public Instruction • Auditor • Agriculture Director • Insurance and Financial Institutions Director • Lands Commissioner • Labor Director • Corporation Commission• State Mine Inspector | |
The Arizona Corporation Commission is a quasi-executive regulatory agency in the Arizona state government. The commission is Arizona's state regulatory body for non-municipal utility companies, including energy, heat, trash, water, and communications firms. It also oversees the incorporation of businesses, securities regulation and railroad/pipeline safety.[1]
Current officeholders
The current officeholders are:
- Rene Lopez (R)
- Lea Marquez Peterson (R)
- Nick Myers (R)
- Kevin Thompson (R)
- Rachel Walden (R)
Authority
The commission's authority stems from the Arizona Constitution.
Arizona Constitution, Article 15, Section 1
| B. A corporation commission is hereby created to be composed of five persons who shall be elected at the general election, and whose term of office shall be four years, and who shall maintain their chief office at the state capital. |
Qualifications
Commissioners must only satisfy the standard requirements for all Arizona state officers, who must be at least 18 years old, a citizen of the United States, and able to speak English.
Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 38, Chapter 2, Article 2, Section 211
| A. Every officer shall be not less than eighteen years of age, a citizen of the United States and a resident of this state.
B. No person is eligible to any office, employment or service in any public institution in the state, or in any of the several counties thereof, of any kind or character, whether by election, appointment or contract, unless he is a citizen of the United States, but the provisions of this subsection shall not apply to the employment of any teacher, instructor or professor authorized to teach in the United States under the teacher exchange program as provided by federal statutes or the employment of university or college faculty members. C. A person who is unable to speak, write and read the English language is not eligible to hold a state, county, city, town or precinct office in the state, whether elective or appointive, and no certificate of election or commission shall issue to a person so disqualified. D. Except as provided in subsection E, a person is not eligible for employment by or service for the state or a political subdivision of the state, including all boards and commissions of the state or political subdivision, all multimember governing bodies of departments, agencies, institutions and instrumentalities of the state or political subdivisions unless the person has registered with the selective service system if required by the federal military selective service act (62 Stat. 604; 50 United States Code App. section 453). |
Elections
The Arizona Constitution requires that commissioners be elected in statewide contests to four-year terms. Three commissioners are elected during federal presidential election years. The two remaining commissioners are elected during gubernatorial election years. Commissioners' terms begin on the first Monday in January after the year they are elected.
Arizona Constitution, Article 15, Section 1
| B. A corporation commission is hereby created to be composed of five persons who shall be elected at the general election, and whose term of office shall be four years, and who shall maintain their chief office at the state capital. The two additional commission members shall be elected at the 2002 general election for initial two-year terms beginning on the first Monday in January, 2003. Thereafter, all terms shall be four-year terms. |
2024
General election candidates
- Lea Marquez Peterson (Incumbent) (Republican Party) ✔
- Ylenia Aguilar (Democratic Party)
- Jonathon Hill (Democratic Party)
- Joshua Polacheck (Democratic Party)
- Rene Lopez (Republican Party) ✔
- Rachel Walden (Republican Party) ✔
- Mike Cease (Green Party)
- Nina Luxenberg (Green Party)
- Frank Bertone (Democratic Party) (Write-in)
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
Democratic primary candidates
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
Republican primary candidates
- Lea Marquez Peterson (Incumbent) ✔
- Rene Lopez ✔
- Rachel Walden ✔
Did not make the ballot:
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
Minor Party primary candidates
Green Party
- Mike Cease (Write-in) ✔
- Nina Luxenberg (Write-in) ✔
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
2022
General election candidates
- Sandra D. Kennedy (Incumbent) (Democratic Party)
- Lauren Kuby (Democratic Party)
- Nick Myers (Republican Party) ✔
- Kevin Thompson (Republican Party) ✔
- Christina Gibson (Independent) (Write-in)
Did not make the ballot:
- Nathan Madden (Libertarian Party)
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
Democratic primary candidates
- Sandra D. Kennedy (Incumbent) ✔
- Lauren Kuby ✔
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
Republican primary candidates
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
Minor Party primary candidates
Libertarian Party
- Nathan Madden (Write-in) ✔
2020
General election candidates
- Lea Marquez Peterson (Incumbent) (Republican Party) ✔
- William Mundell (Democratic Party)
- Shea Stanfield (Democratic Party)
- Anna Tovar (Democratic Party) ✔
- James O'Connor (Republican Party) ✔
- Eric Sloan (Republican Party)
- Patrick Finerd (Republican Party) (Write-in)
- Christina Gibson (Independent) (Write-in)
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
Democratic primary candidates
Did not make the ballot:
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
Republican primary candidates
- Lea Marquez Peterson (Incumbent) ✔
- Eric Sloan ✔
- James O'Connor (Write-in) ✔
Did not make the ballot:
- Boyd Dunn (Incumbent)
- Avery Block
- Neil DeSanti
- David Farnsworth
- Nick Myers
- Kim Owens
- Patrick Tucker
- Roger Pencek (Write-in)
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
2018
General election
General election for Arizona Corporation Commission (2 seats)
Sandra D. Kennedy and incumbent Justin Olson defeated Rodney Glassman and Kiana Sears in the general election for Arizona Corporation Commission on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Sandra D. Kennedy (D) | 25.7 | 1,076,800 | |
| ✔ | Justin Olson (R) | 25.2 | 1,053,862 | |
| Rodney Glassman (R) | 25.1 | 1,049,394 | ||
| Kiana Sears (D) | 24.0 | 1,006,654 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.0 | 232 | ||
| Total votes: 4,186,942 | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Arizona Corporation Commission (2 seats)
Sandra D. Kennedy and Kiana Sears defeated William Mundell in the Democratic primary for Arizona Corporation Commission on August 28, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Sandra D. Kennedy | 45.1 | 351,561 | |
| ✔ | Kiana Sears | 28.1 | 219,011 | |
| William Mundell | 26.8 | 208,941 | ||
| Total votes: 779,513 (100.00% precincts reporting) | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Arizona Corporation Commission (2 seats)
Incumbent Justin Olson and Rodney Glassman defeated James O'Connor, incumbent Tom Forese, and Eric Sloan in the Republican primary for Arizona Corporation Commission on August 28, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Justin Olson | 25.2 | 240,825 | |
| ✔ | Rodney Glassman | 22.8 | 218,130 | |
| James O'Connor | 21.6 | 206,929 | ||
| Tom Forese | 15.9 | 152,395 | ||
| Eric Sloan | 14.4 | 138,051 | ||
| Total votes: 956,330 (100.00% precincts reporting) | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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2016
The general election for three seats on the Arizona Corporation Commission was held on November 8, 2016.
Incumbent Robert Burns, incumbent Andy Tobin, and Boyd Dunn defeated William Mundell and Tom Chabin in the Arizona corporation commission election.
| Arizona Corporation Commission, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Robert Burns Incumbent |
22.28% | 806,047 | |
| Republican | Andy Tobin Incumbent |
20.61% | 745,843 | |
| Republican | Boyd Dunn |
19.43% | 703,160 | |
| Democratic | William Mundell | 19.12% | 691,831 | |
| Democratic | Tom Chabin | 18.56% | 671,374 | |
| Total Votes | 3,618,255 | |||
| Source: KNXV | ||||
2014
| Arizona Corporation Commission, 2014 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Doug Little |
28.8% | 766,864 | |
| Republican | Tom Forese |
28.6% | 761,915 | |
| Democratic | Sandra Kennedy | 21.6% | 576,482 | |
| Democratic | Jim Holway | 20.9% | 557,963 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-in votes | 0% | 529 | |
| Total Votes | 2,663,753 | |||
| Election results via Arizona Secretary of State | ||||
2012
Incumbents Paul Newman (D), Sandra Kennedy (D) and Bob Stump (R) all ran for re-election. Stump won re-election, and Republican candidates Robert Burns and Susan Bitter Smith edged out Newman and Kennedy for their seats in the general election on November 6, 2012.
| Arizona Corporation Commission General Election, 2012 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic | Paul Newman Incumbent | 15.5% | 868,726 | |
| Democratic | Sandra Kennedy Incumbent | 15.4% | 862,876 | |
| Democratic | Marcia Busching | 13.8% | 776,472 | |
| Republican | Bob Stump Incumbent |
17.5% | 979,034 | |
| Republican | Robert Burns |
16.8% | 943,157 | |
| Republican | Susan Bitter Smith |
16.7% | 935,575 | |
| Libertarian | Christopher Gohl | 2% | 112,490 | |
| Green | Daniel Pout | 1% | 58,607 | |
| Green | Thomas Meadows | 1.2% | 67,950 | |
| Write-in | Various | 0.1% | 3,784 | |
| Total Votes | 5,608,671 | |||
| Election results via Arizona Secretary of State | ||||
Term limits
A corporation commissioner may not hold office for more than two consecutive terms.
Vacancy
Arizona law does not prescribe any particular procedures for dealing with a vacancy in the office.
Duties
The corporation commission adopts rules and regulations covering the state's public utility companies. The commission is also responsible for incorporating businesses and organizations, regulating securities, and ensuring the safety of railroads and pipelines.[2]
Divisions
As of January 7, 2021, divisions within the Corporation Commission included:[2]
- Administration
- Corporations
- Hearing
- Information Technology
- Legal
- Safety
- Securities
- Utilities
State budget
- See also: Arizona state budget and finances
The budget for the Arizona Corporation Commission in Fiscal Year 2025 was $36,193,400.[3]
Compensation
The salaries of the commissioners and other elected executives in Arizona is determined by the Arizona Commission on Salaries for Elective State Officers. This five-member committee is sanctioned by Article 5, Section 12 of the Arizona Constitution. Two members are appointed by the governor and one member each is appointed by the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House and the Chief Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court.
Commission members meet prior to June 1 of each even-numbered year to produce salary recommendations for the governor. The governor may accept, reject or modify recommendations prior to delivery to state legislators. The legislature has 90 days following the governor's transmission of the recommendations to reject or modify salary proposals. If no changes are made, the commission's recommendations take effect following the next election for applicable offices.[4][5]
2023
In 2023, each commissioner received a salary of $79,500, according to GovSalaries.[6]
2022
In 2022, each commissioner received a salary of $79,500, according to GovSalaries.[7]
2021
In 2021, each commissioner received a salary of $79,500, according to GovSalaries.[8]
2020
In 2020, each commissioner received a salary of $79,500, according to GovSalaries.[9]
2019
In 2019, each commissioner received a salary of $79,500, according to GovSalaries.[10]
2018
In 2018, each commissioner received a salary of $79,500.[11]
2017
In 2017, each commissioner received a salary of $79,500.[12]
2016
In 2016, each commissioner received a salary of $79,500.[13]
2015
In 2015, each commissioner received a salary of $79,500.[14]
2014
In 2014, each commissioner received a salary of $79,500.[15]
2013
In 2013, each commissioner received a salary of $79,500.[16][17]
Historical officeholders
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the Arizona Corporation Commission has not yet been added because the information was unavailable on the relevant state official websites, or we are currently in the process of formatting the list for this office. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Arizona Corporation Commission. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact info
Physical address:
1200 West Washington
Phoenix, AZ 85007
See also
| Arizona | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Arizona Corporation Commission, "Background and Organization," accessed January 7, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Arizona Corporation Commission, "Background and Organization," accessed January 6, 2021
- ↑ Arizona Joint Legislative Budget Committee, "Summary of Appropriated Funds by Agency - Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025," accessed January 15, 2025
- ↑ East Valley Tribune, "Commission rejects pay hikes for Arizona governor, other state officials," August 5, 2012
- ↑ Arizona Capitol Times, "Commission recommends $11,000 pay increase for state lawmakers," June 25, 2014
- ↑ GovSalaries, "Kevin Thompson," accessed February 27, 2025
- ↑ GovSalaries, "Anna Tovar," accessed February 27, 2025
- ↑ GovSalaries, "Anna Tovar," accessed February 27, 2025
- ↑ GovSalaries, "Justin Olson," accessed February 27, 2025
- ↑ GovSalaries, "Justin Olson," accessed February 27, 2025
- ↑ AZCentral, "Sandra Kennedy, Justin Olson apparent winners of Corp. Comm. race as Glassman concedes," November 14, 2018
- ↑ TucsonSentinel.com, "Rodney Glassman on GOP bus as candidate for Az Corp Commission," July 12, 2017
- ↑ KJZZ, "Arizona Corporation Commissioner Andy Tobin Says ASU Job Is Not A Conflict Of Interest," November 10, 2016
- ↑ Arizona Attorney General, "AG Brnovich Files Petition to Remove Commissioner Bitter Smith From Office," November 30, 2015
- ↑ Arizona State Legislature, "State of Arizona Elected Officials' Salaries," accessed November 24, 2014
- ↑ Arizona State Legislature, "State of Arizona Elected Officials' Salaries," accessed August 16, 2013
- ↑ Arizona Daily Star, "Arizona pensions for elected officials may be cut," accessed August 16, 2013
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