Arizona 2020 ballot measures

Elections in Arizona, 2020

• Election date: Nov. 3
• Registration deadline(s): Oct. 15
• Online registration: Yes
• Same-day registration: No
• Recount laws

• Early voting starts: Oct. 7
• Absentee/mail voting deadline(s): Nov. 3 (received)
• Processing, counting, and challenging absentee/mail-in ballots
• Voter ID: Non-photo ID
• Poll times: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

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2020 Arizona Ballot Measures
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2020 U.S. state ballot measures
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Two statewide ballot measures were certified for the ballot in Arizona for the election on November 3, 2020.

HIGHLIGHTS

Voters decided Proposition 207, which legalized marijuana for personal use in Arizona. In 2016, 51 percent of voters rejected a ballot initiative to legalize marijuana.

The campaign Invest in Ed backed a ballot initiative, Proposition 208, to increase the income tax on income above $250,000 (single filing) or $500,000 (joint filing) and distribute the revenue to teacher salaries, schools, and education programs. Proposition 208 was approved. Invest in Ed qualified a similar ballot initiative in 2018, but the courts removed the proposal from the ballot.

On the ballot

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
CISS	Proposition 207	Marijuana	Legalizes the recreational possession and use of marijuana	a
CISS	Proposition 208	Taxes	Increases the tax on incomes exceeding $250,000 for teacher salaries and schools	a/ot

Summary of campaign contributions

See also: Ballot measure campaign finance, 2020

The following chart illustrates how much support and opposition committees received in campaign contributions for each measure on the ballot:

Ballot Measure	Support Contributions	Oppose Contributions	Outcome
Arizona Proposition 207, Marijuana Legalization Initiative (2020)	$5,986,533.55	$1,058,173.00
Arizona Proposition 208, Tax on Incomes Exceeding $250,000 for Teacher Salaries and Schools Initiative (2020)	$22,908,982.59	$8,349,339.38

Getting measures on the ballot

Citizens

As of 2020, residents of Arizona had the power to initiate legislation as either a state statute or a constitutional amendment. Residents also had the power to repeal legislation via veto referendum.

In Arizona, signature requirements were based on the total number of votes cast for the governor in the preceding election. At least 356,467 valid signatures (equal to 15 percent of the votes cast for the governor) were required for initiated constitutional amendments in 2020. At least 237,645 valid signatures (equal to 10 percent of the votes cast for the governor) were required for initiated state statutes, and at least 118,823 valid signatures (equal to 5 percent of the votes cast for the governor) were required for veto referendums.

Legislature

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.

Either chamber of the Arizona State Legislature is allowed to propose a constitutional amendment. A majority of members of both chambers must approve it. If they do, the proposed amendment goes on a statewide ballot for a popular vote of the people. Approval from a simple majority of voters is then required to make it part of the constitution.

Historical facts

See also: List of Arizona ballot measures and History of Initiative & Referendum in Arizona

• A total of 116 measures appeared on statewide ballots in Arizona from 1996 to 2018.
• From 1996 to 2018, the number of measures on statewide ballots ranged from three to 19.
• From 1996 to 2018, an average of 10 measures appeared on the ballot in Arizona during even-numbered election years. The median number of measures was between eight and nine.
• From 1996 to 2018, 57 percent (66 of 116) of the total number of measures that appeared on statewide ballots during even-numbered years were approved, and 43 percent (50 of 116) were defeated.

Ballot measures in Arizona, 1995-2018
Type	Total number	Approved	Percent approved	Defeated	Percent defeated	Average	Median	Minimum	Maximum
All measures	116	66	56.9%	50	43.1%	9.7	8.5	3	19
Initiated statues and amendments	38	23	60.5%	15	39.5%	3.2	2.0	0	10

Local ballot measures

See also: November 3, 2020 ballot measures in Arizona

In 2020, Ballotpedia covered local measures that appeared on the ballot for voters within the top 100 largest cities in the U.S. and a selection of notable police-related and election-related measures outside of the top 100 largest cities. Ballotpedia also covered all local measures in California and all statewide ballot measures. Click here to see the scope of Ballotpedia local ballot measure coverage by year.

Click here for more information about local ballot measures on the November 2020 ballot in Arizona.

Not on the ballot

Signatures submitted but initiatives failed to make the ballot
Type	Name	Topic	Description	Status
CISS	Criminal Justice Procedures for Offenses Defined as Non-Dangerous Initiative	Trials	Classifies crimes as non-dangerous and changes criminal justice procedures
CISS	Hospital Worker Minimum Wage and Insurance Regulations Initiative	Healthcare	Enacts a minimum wage standard for hospital workers and healthcare insurance regulations

Type	Name	Topic	Description	Status
CISS	Age to Purchase Lottery Ticket Initiative	Gambling	Lowers age to purchase lottery ticket from 21 to 18 and to 17 for those in the armed services
CISS	Agricultural Chemicals Initiative	Agriculture	Orders state agriculture director to suspend certain chemicals and review others
CISS	Automatic Voter Regisation Initiative	Elections	Enacts automatic voter registration
CISS	Cannabis Legalization Initiative	Marijuana	Legalizes the possession, use, cultivation, and sale of cannabis
CISS	Civil Penalties for Excessive Speeding Initiative	Transportation	Replaces criminal penalties with civil penalties for excessive speeding
CISS	Cryptocurrency as Legal Tender Initiative	Regulation	Deems cryptocurrency to be legal tender
CISS	Early Voting, Ballot Collection, and Conflict-of-Interest Initiative	Elections	Changes laws regarding early voting, ballot collection, and state legislative conflicts of interest
CISS	Film Tax Credit Initiative	Taxes	Provides a tax credit to production companies if investment is $500,000 or more
CISS	Fracking Ban Initiative	Fracking	Bans hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking
CICA	Legalization of Drugs Initiative	Law	Legalizes the use of all types of drugs
CISS	Limits on Car Title Loan Interest Rates Initiative	Banking	Caps interest rates on car title loans
CISS	Limits on Private Education Vouchers Initiative	Education	Limits the number and uses of private education vouchers, including Empowerment Scholarship Accounts
CISS	Lower Alcohol Drinking Age to Eighteen Initiative	Alcohol	Lower age to purchase and drink alcohol from 21 to 18
CICA	Marijuana Legalization, Ban on Taxes, and Automatic Pardons Initiative	Marijuana	Legalizes the recreational use of marijauna
CISS	Prevent Mining at Oak Flat Initiative	Nat Resources	Designed to prevent mining at Oak Flat
CICA	Prohibit Government Regulation of Private Transaction Prices Initiative	Regulation	Prohibits government regulation of private transaction prices
CISS	Prohibit Political Advocacy of Teachers in the Classroom Initiative	Education	Prohibits teachers from engaging in political advocacy, as defined, in the classroom
CISS	Prohibit Red Light and Speeding Cameras Initiative	Transportation	Prohibits red light and speeding cameras
CICA	Residential Property Tax Elimination for Seniors Initiative	Taxes	Eliminate property taxes on primary residential property of persons 65 years of age or older
CICA	Right to Know Source of Campaign Contributions Initiative	Campaign Finance	Creates a state constitutional right to know the original source of contributions used for campaign expenditures
CISS	Use of HOV Lanes Initiative	Transportation	Provides rules for which vehciles with less than two people can use HOV lanes
CISS	Voting and Campaign Finance Policies Initiative	Elections	Changes policies regarding voting and campaign finance
LRSS	Dual-Language Education Measure	Education	Repeals Proposition 203 (2000) to allow schools to establish dual-language education programs
LRSS	Medical Marijuana Rules Measure	Marijuana	Amends Proposition 203 (2010) to make changes to medical marijuana rules and regulations
LRCA	Lieutenant Governor Amendment	Executive	Creates the position of lieutenant governor
LRCA	Single-Subject Requirement for Ballot Initiatives Amendment	Direct democracy	Creates a single-subject requirement for ballot initiatives
LRCA	Signature Distribution Requirement for Ballot Initiatives Amendment	Direct democracy	Creates a signature distribution requirement for ballot initiatives
LRSS	Changes to Medical Marijuana Laws Measure	Marijuana	Changes laws governing medical marijuana labels, research grants, and taxes.
LRCA	Business and Agriculture Personal Property Tax Exemption Amendment	Taxes	Exempts the first $1 million of personal property that is acquired for agriculture, trade, or business
LRCA	State Legislative District Population Standards Amendment	Redistricting	Sets a maximum population difference between the state's largest and smallest legislative districts
LRSS	Medical Marijuana Program Rules Amendment	Marijuana	Creates a transaction privilege tax on medical marijuana businesses and enacts changes to medical marijuana program
LRCA	Adjustment of Aggregate Spending Limit for Schools Amendment	Budgets	Changes the base year that determines how much schools can spend
LRCA	Constitutional Property Tax Exemptions Amendment	Taxes	Consolidates the constitution's provisions addressing property tax exemptions

State profile

Demographic data for Arizona
	Arizona	U.S.
Total population:	6,817,565	316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):	113,594	3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:	78.4%	73.6%
Black/African American:	4.2%	12.6%
Asian:	3%	5.1%
Native American:	4.4%	0.8%
Pacific Islander:	0.2%	0.2%
Two or more:	3.2%	3%
Hispanic/Latino:	30.3%	17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:	86%	86.7%
College graduation rate:	27.5%	29.8%
Income
Median household income:	$50,255	$53,889
Persons below poverty level:	21.2%	11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Arizona. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

Presidential voting pattern

See also: Presidential voting trends in Arizona

Arizona voted Republican in six out of the seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.

More Arizona coverage on Ballotpedia

• Elections in Arizona
• United States congressional delegations from Arizona
• Public policy in Arizona
• Endorsers in Arizona
• Arizona fact checks
• More...

See also

• 2020 ballot measures
• List of Arizona ballot measures
• Laws governing the initiative process in Arizona
• History of Initiative & Referendum in Arizona
• Campaign finance requirements for Arizona ballot measures

External links

• Arizona Initiative, Referendum and Recall