Arizona Require Online Payment Marketplace System for Empowerment Scholarship Account Purchases Initiative (2026)
| Arizona Require Online Payment Marketplace System for Empowerment Scholarship Account Purchases Initiative | |
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| Election date |
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| Topic School choice policy |
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| Status Cleared for signature gathering |
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| Type Initiated state statute |
Origin |
The Arizona Require Online Payment Marketplace System for Empowerment Scholarship Account Purchases Initiative may be on the ballot in Arizona as an initiated state statute on November 3, 2026.
The initiative would require the Arizona Department of Education to establish an online payment marketplace system through which all Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) purchases must be made.[1] Additionally, the initiative would require qualified tutors and school personnel to hold a fingerprint clearance card.[1] The initiative would require students who are not enrolled at a qualified school full-time to take an approved examination.[1] The initiative would also prohibit parents who have knowingly misused ESA funds with the intent to defraud the program from enrolling a child in the program in the future.[1]
Text of measure
Full text
The full text of the measure can be read here.
Path to the ballot
Process in Arizona
An initiated state statute is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that amends state statute. There are 21 states that allow citizens to initiate state statutes, including 14 that provide for direct initiatives and nine (9) that provide for indirect initiatives (two provide for both). An indirect initiated state statute goes to the legislature after a successful signature drive. The legislatures in these states have the option of approving the initiative itself, rather than the initiative appearing on the ballot.
In Arizona, the number of signatures required for an initiated state statute is equal to 10 percent of the votes cast for the office of governor in the most recent gubernatorial election. Petitions can be circulated for up to 24 months. Signatures must be submitted four months prior to the election at which the measure is to appear. A simple majority is required for voter approval. Arizona requires a 60% vote to pass ballot measures to approve taxes.
The requirements to get initiated state statutes certified for the 2026 ballot:
- Signatures: 255,949 valid signatures are required.
- Deadline: The deadline to submit signatures is July 3, 2026.
Stages if this ballot initiative
The following is the timeline of the initiative:[2]
- March 16, 2026: Fortify AZ filed the initiative with the secretary of state. The initiative was granted a serial number (I-10-2026) and approved to begin gathering signatures.
External links
See also
View other measures certified for the 2026 ballot across the U.S. and in Arizona.
Explore Arizona's ballot measure history, including
Understand how measures are placed on the ballot and the rules that apply.
Footnotes
