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Arizona State Senate elections, 2024
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| 2024 Arizona Senate Elections | |
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| Primary | July 30, 2024 |
| General | November 5, 2024 |
| Past Election Results |
| 2022・2020・2018・2016・2014 2012・2010・2008 |
| 2024 Elections | |
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| Choose a chamber below: | |
All 30 seats in the state Senate were up for election. Following the election, Republicans maintained a 17-13 majority. Arizona also remained a divided government, with a Democrat holding the governorship and Republicans maintaining majorities in the state legislature.
Heading into the elections, Republicans had a 16-14 majority, meaning Democrats needed to win two additional seats to gain a majority, while Republicans needed not to lose any seats to maintain it. The last time Democrats controlled the chamber was in 1992.[1]
The outcome of the Senate elections alone could not change Arizona's trifecta status because Republicans also controlled the House. Arizona was a Republican trifecta from 2009 to 2023. The last time the state was a Democratic trifecta was in 1966.[1]
Before the election, Arizona Mirror’s Jim Small wrote that “Democrats are portraying their Republican opponents as ‘extreme’ and aligned with MAGA politics, while Republicans are casting their challengers as socialists who are too radical for Arizona.”[2]
The general elections took place against the backdrop of the Arizona Supreme Court's 2024 ruling regarding abortion. At the time of the ruling, Arizona had two conflicting abortion laws—an 1864 territorial law banning abortion and a 2022 law with a 15-week ban.[3] The court ruled that the 1864 law took precedence.[3] Before the election, NPR's Ryland Barton wrote, "Democrats are taking aim at GOP lawmakers who voted against repealing the ban.”[4] The Senate voted to repeal the law 16-14.[3]
Before the election, NPR’s Ben Giles wrote that Republicans “view immigration as a key issue here in Arizona, where voters do feel like there is a problem at the border with the number of border crossings that are happening day to day here in Arizona.”[5] NBC News’ Adam Edelman wrote that the Republican State Leadership Committee released “ads on behalf of Republicans in three competitive districts that attacked Democrats on those issues.”[6]
Ballotpedia identified seven battleground districts. Before the election, CNalysis identified one as Lean Democratic, one as Tilt Democratic, two as Likely Democratic, two as Toss-Up, and one as Very Likely Republican. Incumbents ran in six races, while one was in an open district, meaning an incumbent did not run. Click here to read more about the battleground elections.
Two incumbents lost in the primaries and one lost in the generals. Click here to learn more.
Elections for the Arizona State Senate took place in 2024. The general election was on November 5, 2024. The primary was July 30, 2024. The filing deadline was April 1, 2024.
Arizona was one of 44 states holding legislative elections for 85 of 99 state legislative chambers.
Voting information
- See also: Voting in Arizona
General election race ratings
The table below displays race ratings for each race in this chamber from CNalysis.
Battleground elections
Ballotpedia identified the battleground elections below based on media coverage and race ratings. Click on the tabs to view the candidates who ran, a brief description of the race, district partisan history, and Candidate Connection survey responses.
Of the seven battleground districts, Republicans represented four and Democrats represented three. Incumbents ran in six of these races, while the other one was in an open district, meaning an incumbent did not run.
The map below highlights each battleground district colored based on the party affiliation of the incumbent.
| Arizona State Senate battleground elections, 2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Incumbent | Vote | Partisan change | ||||
| Senate District 2 |  Shawnna Bolick |
50.9%-47.1% | -- | ||||
| Senate District 4 |  Christine Marsh |
51.8%-48.2% | 
| ||||
| Senate District 9 | Eva Burch |
51.6%-48.4% | -- | ||||
| Senate District 13 | Javan Daniel Mesnard |
53.2%-46.8% | -- | ||||
| Senate District 16 | Thomas Shope |
56.6%-43.4% | -- | ||||
| Senate District 17 | Justine Wadsack |
51%-49% | -- | ||||
| Senate District 23 | Brian Fernandez |
53.1%-46.9% | -- | ||||
| Arizona State Senate 2024 battleground elections, pre-election analysis | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | 2022 vote | CNalysis rating | |||||
| Senate District 2 | 51.8%-48.2% | Lean Democratic | |||||
| Senate District 4 | 50.5%-49.5% | Tilt Democratic | |||||
| Senate District 9 | 52.5%-47.5% | Likely Democratic | |||||
| Senate District 13 | 51.7%-48.3% | Toss-Up | |||||
| Senate District 16 | 55.7%-44.3% | Very Likely Republican | |||||
| Senate District 17 | 51.2%-48.8% | Toss-Up | |||||
| Senate District 23 | 53.7%-46.3% | Likely Democratic | |||||
Candidates and election results
General election
General election for Arizona State Senate District 2
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Shawnna Bolick (R) | 50.8 | 52,100 |
 | Judy Schwiebert (D) | 47.2 | 48,333 | |
| Dennis Pugsley (G) | 2.0 | 2,076 | ||
| Total votes: 102,509 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| 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. | ||||
Race information
Incumbent Sen. Shawnna Bolick (R) assumed office in 2023. Judy Schwiebert (D) is a former high school teacher-librarian.[7]
District information
- As of Oct. 27, 2024, CNalysis rated Senate District 2 as Lean Democratic. According to that analysis, Donald Trump (R) would have won the district under the current map by a margin of 2.1 percentage points in 2020.[8]
- The Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission rated the competitiveness of Senate District 2 as highly competitive.[9]
- According to the Arizona Mirror, outside spending in Senate District 2 has reached nearly $1.42 million as of Oct. 21, 2024.[10]
Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses
Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
No candidate in this race completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.
Candidates and election results
General election
General election for Arizona State Senate District 4
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Carine Werner (R) | 51.9 | 76,079 |
 | Christine Marsh (D) | 48.1 | 70,614 | |
| Total votes: 146,693 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| 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. | ||||
Race information
Incumbent Sen. Christine Marsh (D) assumed office in 2023. Carine Werner (R) is a business owner.[11]
District information
- As of Oct. 24, 2024, CNalysis rated Senate District 4 as Tilt Democratic. According to that analysis, President Joe Biden (D) would have won the district under the current map by a margin of 0.9 percentage points in 2020.[12]
- The Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission rated the competitiveness of Senate District 4 as highly competitive.[13]
Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses
Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
No candidate in this race completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.
Candidates and election results
General election
General election for Arizona State Senate District 9
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Eva Burch (D) | 51.7 | 42,072 |
 | Robert Scantlebury (R) | 48.3 | 39,261 | |
| Total votes: 81,333 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| 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. | ||||
Race information
Incumbent Sen. Eva Burch (D) assumed office in 2023. Robert Scantlebury (R) was a small business owner and former police officer.[14]
District information
- As of Oct. 24, 2024, CNalysis rated Senate District 9 as Likely Democratic. According to that analysis, President Joe Biden (D) would have won the district under the current map by a margin of 5.8 percentage points in 2020.[15]
- The Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission rated the competitiveness of Senate District 9 as highly competitive.[16]
Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses
Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
No candidate in this race completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.
Candidates and election results
General election
General election for Arizona State Senate District 13
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Javan Daniel Mesnard (R) | 53.1 | 62,670 |
 | Sharon Lee Winters (D) | 46.9 | 55,287 | |
| Total votes: 117,957 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| 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. | ||||
Race information
Incumbent Sen. Javan Daniel Mesnard (R) assumed office in 2023. Sharon Lee Winters (D) is a former teacher and business owner.[17]
District information
- As of Oct. 24, 2024, CNalysis rated Senate District 13 as Toss-Up According to that analysis, President Joe Biden (D) would have won the district under the current map by a margin of 2.9 percentage points in 2020.[18]
- The Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission rated the competitiveness of Senate District 13 as highly competitive.[19]
- According to the Arizona Mirror, outside spending in Senate District 13 has reached nearly $1.6 million as of Oct. 21, 2024.[20]
Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses
Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
No candidate in this race completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.
Candidates and election results
General election
General election for Arizona State Senate District 16
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Thomas Shope (R) | 56.0 | 58,386 |
| Stacey Seaman (D) | 44.0 | 45,888 | ||
| Total votes: 104,274 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| 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. | ||||
Race information
Incumbent Sen. Thomas Shope (R) assumed office in 2023. Stacey Seaman (D) is a teacher.[21]
District information
- As of Oct. 24, 2024, CNalysis rated Senate District 16 as Very Likely Republican. According to that analysis, Donald Trump (R) would have won the district under the current map by a margin of 3.9 percentage points in 2020.[22]
- The Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission rated the competitiveness of Senate District 16 as highly competitive.[23]
Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses
Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
No candidate in this race completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.
Candidates and election results
General election
General election for Arizona State Senate District 17
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Vince Leach (R) | 51.0 | 77,714 |
 | John McLean (D) | 49.0 | 74,669 | |
| Total votes: 152,383 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| 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. | ||||
Race information
John McLean (D) is an aerospace engineer and CEO.[24] Vince Leach (R) is a former state Senator and business consultant.[25]
District information
- As of Oct. 24, 2024, CNalysis rated Senate District 17 as Toss-Up. According to that analysis, Donald Trump (R) would have won the district under the current map by a margin of 4.3 percentage points in 2020.[26]
- The Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission rated the competitiveness of Senate District 17 as outside of competitive range.[27]
Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses
Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
Survey responses from candidates in this race
Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
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Vince Leach (R)
Taxes being paid by our citizens are to high. Lower taxes (all of them) provide for a better place to live, work, raise a family, and run a business.
Arizona has to secure more water resources. While Arizonans are using less water than many years ago, secure, long term water sources are a must!
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Independence: Like other elected officials, some election administrators must raise campaign contributions. In the course of their work, some might be called on to make decisions affecting contributors. Hallmarks of independence include avoiding conflicts of interest and treating all parties fairly by adhering to the law.
Transparency: Candidates and voters have a right to know how an elections office conducts its business. All election business should be transparent, whether it is ballot design or the procuring of voting systems. Emails and other communications should be housed in secure servers with a permanent record kept for quick compliance with open-government requests. Oversight boards should be subject to open-meeting rules, along with requirements for bipartisan representation. And once the polls close, where possible the counting process should be livestreamed.
Integrity: An election office with a high level of integrity limits opportunities for an administrator to act with unchecked discretion. These opportunities include decisions about when and where registration and early voting are conducted and what information (such as pre-election turnout) is given to a candidate or party. An election administrator should never use his or her office to express partisan support or opposition, and also should avoid doing so on personal social media accounts.
Competence: There have been elections where too few paper ballots have been available, polling stations were not practical or accessible, or poll workers were not equipped to meet challenges on Election Day. How an election official serves all precincts, with equitable attention to detail, is a true test of competence.
Fairness: Good communication can mitigate potential issues of unfairness. Election administrators should reach out to stakeholders in the community before making decisions that
Vince Leach (R)
Independence: Like other elected officials, some election administrators must raise campaign contributions. In the course of their work, some might be called on to make decisions affecting contributors. Hallmarks of independence include avoiding conflicts of interest and treating all parties fairly by adhering to the law.
Transparency: Candidates and voters have a right to know how an elections office conducts its business. All election business should be transparent, whether it is ballot design or the procuring of voting systems. Emails and other communications should be housed in secure servers with a permanent record kept for quick compliance with open-government requests. Oversight boards should be subject to open-meeting rules, along with requirements for bipartisan representation. And once the polls close, where possible the counting process should be livestreamed.
Integrity: An election office with a high level of integrity limits opportunities for an administrator to act with unchecked discretion. These opportunities include decisions about when and where registration and early voting are conducted and what information (such as pre-election turnout) is given to a candidate or party. An election administrator should never use his or her office to express partisan support or opposition, and also should avoid doing so on personal social media accounts.
Competence: There have been elections where too few paper ballots have been available, polling stations were not practical or accessible, or poll workers were not equipped to meet challenges on Election Day. How an election official serves all precincts, with equitable attention to detail, is a true test of competence.
Fairness: Good communication can mitigate potential issues of unfairness. Election administrators should reach out to stakeholders in the community before making decisions that
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
associated with his district. For example, some districts are primarily rural, others strictly urban, or suburban, while others contain pockets or combinations of all three. 2) My primary role is to serve their constituents, although they may also take into consideration their party’s position when making decisions. 3) I must also look at an issue in terms of its effect on the entire state.
In other words, “Is it good statewide policy and is it something I strongly believe in.
Vince Leach (R)
associated with his district. For example, some districts are primarily rural, others strictly urban, or suburban, while others contain pockets or combinations of all three. 2) My primary role is to serve their constituents, although they may also take into consideration their party’s position when making decisions. 3) I must also look at an issue in terms of its effect on the entire state.
In other words, “Is it good statewide policy and is it something I strongly believe in.
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Vince Leach (R)
Candidates and election results
General election
General election for Arizona State Senate District 23
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Brian Fernandez (D) | 53.8 | 42,658 |
| Michelle Altherr (R) | 46.2 | 36,602 | ||
| Total votes: 79,260 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| 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. | ||||
Race information
Incumbent Sen. Brian Fernandez (D) assumed office in 2023. Michelle Altherr (D) is a U.S. Air Force veteran.[28]
District information
- As of Oct. 24, 2024, CNalysis rated Senate District 23 as Likely Democratic. According to that analysis, President Joe Biden (D) would have won the district under the current map by a margin of 13.5 percentage points in 2020.[29]
- The Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission rated the competitiveness of Senate District 23 as outside of competitive range.[30]
Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses
Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
Survey responses from candidates in this race
Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
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Brian Fernandez (D)
Pay public schools teachers and support staff competitive, living wages.
Increase funding for vocational training and rural community colleges.
Train our students for 21st century careers and keep Arizona’s economy growing strong through innovative, public-private partnerships with our local universities.
Improve Water and Infrastructure:
Invest in safe, reliable roads and bridges to meet the needs of our farmers, ranchers, local businesses and families.
Ensure Arizonans have a 100-year water plan by finding new sources and leveraging smart water conservation and recycling solutions.
Bring broadband and cellular service to underserved rural communities.
Support The Economy:
Lower the cost of housing by preventing out-of-state investment firms from taking thousands of properties off the market, so families can afford to buy their own homes.
Offer gasoline rebates to working families to combat price gouging at the fuel pump and provide drivers with lower cost, cleaner fuel options in the future.
Brian Fernandez (D)
Brian Fernandez (D)
Brian Fernandez (D)
Brian Fernandez (D)
Brian Fernandez (D)
Brian Fernandez (D)
Brian Fernandez (D)
Brian Fernandez (D)
Candidates
General election
Arizona State Senate general election 2024 |
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Primary
Arizona State Senate primary 2024 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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The Democratic primary was canceled. Did not make the ballot: |
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The Democratic primary was canceled. Did not make the ballot: |
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The Democratic primary was canceled. Did not make the ballot: |
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Party control
| Arizona State Senate | |||
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| Party | As of November 5, 2024 | After November 6, 2024 | |
| Democratic Party | 14 | 13 | |
| Republican Party | 16 | 17 | |
| Total | 30 | 30 | |
Campaign finance
- See also: Campaign finance
The section and tables below contain data from financial reports submitted to state agencies. Districts and elections are grouped in sections of 10. To view data for a district, click on the appropriate bar below to expand it. The data is gathered and made available by Transparency USA.
Incumbents who were not re-elected
Incumbents defeated in general elections
One incumbent lost in general elections. This was less than the average of 1.1 incumbent defeats per cycle from 2010 to 2022.
| Name | Party | Office |
|---|---|---|
| Christine Marsh |  Democratic |
Senate District 4 |
Incumbents defeated in primaries
Two incumbents lost in primaries. This was around the average of 1.1 incumbent defeats per cycle from 2010 to 2022.
| Name | Party | Office |
|---|---|---|
| Ken Bennett |  Republican |
Senate District 1 |
| Justine Wadsack | Republican |
Senate District 17 |
Retiring incumbents
Five incumbents did not file for re-election in 2024.[31] The average number of retirements each election cycle from 2010 to 2022 was 10. Those incumbents were:
Primary election competitiveness
This section contains data on state legislative primary election competitiveness in Arizona. These totals include data from all regularly-scheduled House and Senate elections. For more information about Ballotpedia's competitiveness analysis of state legislative elections, please click here.
Post-filing deadline analysis
The following analysis covers all state legislative districts up for election in Arizona in 2024. Information below was calculated on May 31, 2024, and may differ from information shown in the table above due to candidate replacements and withdrawals after that time.
Arizona had 29 contested state legislative primaries in 2024, down 24% from 2022.
Of these, there were 12 for Democrats and 17 for Republicans. For Democrats, this was down from 15 in 2022, a 20% decrease. Contested Republican primaries were down 26% from 23 in 2022.
Twenty-nine incumbents—14 Democrats and 15 Republicans—faced primary challenges, representing 41% of all incumbents who ran for re-election. This was the most since Ballotpedia began tracking these figures in 2010. The previous high was 28 incumbents in 2014.
Two Arizona state senators and four Arizona state representatives were term-limited in 2024.
In total, 187 major party candidates filed to run. Eighty-seven were Democrats and 100 were Republicans. All 60 House seats and all 30 Senate seats were up for election.
Twenty seats were open, meaning no incumbents filed. This meant newcomers would make up at least 22% of the legislature the next year, the second smallest percentage since 2010. The smallest occurred in 2020, when 19% of seats were guaranteed to newcomers.
Open seats
The table below shows the number and percentage of open seats in the Arizona State Senate from 2010 to 2024.[32]
| Open Seats in Arizona State Senate elections: 2010 - 2024 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Total seats | Open seats | Seats with incumbents running for re-election |
| 2024 | 30 | 5 (17%) | 25 (83%) |
| 2022 | 30 | 14 (47%) | 16 (53%) |
| 2020 | 30 | 5 (17%) | 25 (83%) |
| 2018 | 30 | 14 (47%) | 16 (53%) |
| 2016 | 30 | 8 (27%) | 22 (73%) |
| 2014 | 30 | 8 (27%) | 22 (73%) |
| 2012 | 30 | 8 (27%) | 22 (73%) |
| 2010 | 30 | 5 (17%) | 25 (83%) |
Noteworthy ballot measures
- See also: Arizona 2024 ballot measures
Arizona had 12 ballot measures on the November 5, 2024, ballot. Two notable ones were Proposition 139, which would have provided for a state constitutional right to an abortion, and Proposition 314, which would have allowed law enforcement to arrest any noncitizens who cross the border unlawfully.
Observers and officials commented on whether the amendments would affect voter turnout statewide.
- Consultant Marcus Dell'Artino said the abortion amendment could increase turnout among young voters: “A measure like this in a presidential year number one, and two an issue as personal as abortion, certainly moves those younger voters 18 and older to get out and vote.”[33]
- Democratic strategist Tony Cani said between the two amendments, abortion would be a bigger driver of turnout: "The types of voters who are motivated by the abortion initiative tend to be younger, tend to be women, tend to be voters that in the past have needed more of a reason to show up to the polls. And so I think that on balance, if you’re looking at the two, that the abortion initiative is probably going to drive turnout more."[34]
- Republican consultant Barrett Marson said that the economy would be a more salient issue for voters: “The economy is going to play a much greater role in how people vote — try to get a mortgage around here, try to get a car loan at a reasonable rate. People are unhappy with those metrics right now.”[35]
- On the effect of the immigration measure, U.S. Senate candidate Mark Lamb (R) said, “This would certainly help draw Republican voters out.”[36]
- NPR's Ben Giles said the immigration measure "might drive Republican turnout, but it also might drive turnout among groups who are against this immigration law and then might also vote for Democratic candidates when they head to the polls in November."[37]
- Republican political analyst Sean Noble said: “I think that the people who care about immigration are gonna be motivated to come out for, to vote for Donald Trump just as much as they would for immigration... So I don’t think that the immigration issue on the ballot is gonna actually impact turnout.”[38]
Arizona Right to Abortion Initiative
A "yes" vote supported amending the state constitution to provide for the fundamental right to abortion, among other provisions. |
A "no" vote opposed amending the state constitution to provide for the fundamental right to an abortion. |
To read more about supporters and opponents of the initiative, along with their arguments, click on the box below.
Arizona Immigration and Border Law Enforcement Measure
A "yes" vote supported:
|
A "no" vote opposed making the above changes to state law regarding immigration, border law enforcement, and sale of fentanyl. |
To read more about supporters and opponents of the initiative, along with their arguments, click on the box below.
Legislative referrals
- See also: Legislative referral
A legislative referral, or legislatively referred ballot measure, is a ballot measure that appears on the ballot due to a vote of the state legislature. A legislative referral can be a constitutional amendment, state statute, or bond issue.
As of the 2024 election, a majority vote was required during one legislative session for the Arizona State Legislature to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounted to a minimum of 31 votes in the Arizona House of Representatives and 16 votes in the Arizona State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments did not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.
At the time of the 2024 election, Republicans held a 16-14 majority in the Senate and a 31-28 majority in the House. Republicans had the minimum votes necessary to put a legislative referral on the ballot without Democratic votes. Republicans needed to lose one Senate seat and one House seat to not be able to pass legislative referrals without Democratic votes. Democrats needed to win two Senate seats and three House seats to have the ability to pass legislative referrals without Republican votes.
Process to become a candidate
See statutes: Title 16, Chapter 3 of the Arizona Revised Statutes
Candidates in Arizona can access the ballot as political party candidates, independent candidates, or write-in candidates. Candidates must file a statement of interest, nomination paper, financial disclosure statement, and nomination petitions.[41] Candidates file in-person or online, though the Candidate Portal, depending on the document in question.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title
Political party candidates
Political party candidates are nominated in primary elections. If no candidate is nominated at the primary election for a specific office, no candidate for that office can appear on the general election ballot for that political party.[42][43]
A political party candidate must file his or her nomination documents during the candidate filing period, which begins 120 days before the primary and ends 90 days before the primary. At the time of filing, a candidate must be a qualified voter residing in the geographic area represented by the office being sought. The following documents must be filed in order to gain ballot access:Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title
- a financial disclosure statement
- an affidavit affirming that the candidate will be eligible to hold office if elected
- a nomination paper including the following information:
- candidate’s residence address
- name of the party with which the candidate is affiliated
- office the candidate seeks, with district or precinct, if applicable
- the candidate’s name as the candidate wishes it to appear on the ballot
- date of the primary and corresponding general election
- a nomination petition
Nomination petitions must be signed by qualified electors who are eligible to vote for the office the candidate is seeking. A qualified signer may be a "registered member of the party from which the candidate is seeking nomination," a "registered member of a political party that is not entitled to continued representation on the ballot," or an independent. To calculate the number of petition signatures needed, the voter registration totals as of the year of the election must be used. Signature requirements vary according to the office being sought. See the table below for further details.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title
| Formulas for determining signature requirements for political party candidates | ||
|---|---|---|
| Office sought | Minimum signatures required | Maximum signatures allowed |
| United States Senator or state executive office | At least one-fourth of 1 percent of the total number of qualified signers** | No more than 10 percent of the total number of qualified signers |
| United States Representative | At least one-half of 1 percent of the total number of qualified signers in the district the candidate seeks to represent | No more than 10 percent of the total number of qualified signers in the district the candidate seeks to represent |
| State legislative office | At least one-half of 1 percent of the total number of qualified signers in the district the candidate seeks to represent | No more than 3 percent of the total number of qualified signers in the district the candidate seeks to represent |
Newly qualified political party candidates
A candidate of a newly qualified political party must file the same documents at the same time as other political party candidates. Petition signature requirements are different for newly qualified political party candidates. A candidate of a new political party must file signatures equal to at least one-tenth of 1 percent of the total votes cast for the winning presidential or gubernatorial candidate at the last general election in the district the candidate seeks to represent.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title
Independent candidates
A candidate may not run as an independent if he or she is representing a party that failed to qualify for the primary election. Additionally, a candidate cannot run as an independent if he or she tried and failed to qualify as a political party candidate in the primary.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title
An independent candidate must be nominated by petition to run in the general election. The nomination petition must be filed with the financial disclosure statement during the candidate filing period, which begins 120 days before the primary election and ends 90 days before the primary election.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title
An independent candidate's nomination petition must be signed by registered voters eligible to vote for the office the candidate is seeking. The number of signatures required on the petition is equal to at least 3 percent of all registered voters who are not affiliated with a recognized political party in the district the candidate seeks to represent. Signature requirement figures should be calculated using voter registration data from the year of the election. Though the number of signatures required to gain ballot access as an independent is related to the number of registered voters who are not affiliated with recognized political parties, the affiliation of those signing the petitions does not matter as long as they have not already signed a political party candidate's petition.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title
Write-in candidates
A candidate may not file as a write-in if any of the following are true:Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title
- The candidate ran in the primary election and failed to get elected.
- The candidate did not file enough signatures to be allowed ballot access when previously filing for primary ballot access.
- The candidate filed nomination petitions to run in the general election but did not submit enough valid signatures to gain ballot access.
Write-in votes will not be counted unless the write-in candidate files a nomination paper and financial disclosure form no later than 5 p.m. on the 40th day before the election in which the candidate intends to run. The nomination paper must include the following information:Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title
- the candidate's name and signature
- the candidate's residence address or description of place of residence and post office address
- the candidate's age
- the length of time the candidate has been a resident of the state
- the candidate's date of birth
Qualifications
Article 4, Part 2, Section 2 of the Arizona Constitution states: "No person shall be a member of the Legislature unless he shall be a citizen of the United States at the time of his election, nor unless he shall be at least twenty-five years of age, and shall have been a resident of Arizona at least three years and of the county from which he is elected at least one year before his election."
Salaries and per diem
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
| State legislative salaries, 2024[44] | |
|---|---|
| Salary | Per diem |
| $24,000/year | For legislators residing within Maricopa County: $35/day. For legislators residing outside of Maricopa County: $251.66. |
When sworn in
Arizona legislators assume office on the first day of the session after they are elected. Each regular session begins on the second Monday in January.[45]
Arizona political history
Trifectas
A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government.
Arizona Party Control: 1992-2025
No Democratic trifectas • Twenty-two years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D |
| Senate | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | S | S | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
Presidential politics in Arizona
2020
- See also: Presidential election, 2020
Presidential election in Arizona, 2020
Candidate/Running mate |
% |
Popular votes |
Electoral votes |
||
| ✔ |
 
| Joe Biden/Kamala D. Harris (D) |
49.4
|
1,672,143 | 11 |
 
| Donald Trump/Mike Pence (R) |
49.1
|
1,661,686 | 0 | |
 
| Jo Jorgensen/Spike Cohen (L) |
1.5
|
51,465 | 0 | |
 
| Howie Hawkins/Angela Nicole Walker (G) (Write-in) |
0.0
|
1,557 | 0 | |
 
| Jade Simmons/Claudeliah Roze (Unaffiliated) (Write-in) |
0.0
|
236 | 0 | |
 
| Gloria La Riva/Sunil Freeman (Party for Socialism and Liberation) (Write-in) |
0.0
|
190 | 0 | |
| Daniel Clyde Cummings/Ryan Huber (American Constitution Party) (Write-in) |
0.0
|
36 | 0 | |
| President Boddie/Eric Stoneham (Unaffiliated) |
0.0
|
13 | 0 | |
 |
Total votes: 3,387,326 |
2016
- See also: Presidential election, 2016
| U.S. presidential election, Arizona, 2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | Electoral votes | |
| Democratic | Hillary Clinton/Tim Kaine | 45.1% | 1,161,167 | 0 | |
| Republican | Donald Trump/Mike Pence |
48.7% | 1,252,401 | 11 | |
| Libertarian | Gary Johnson/Bill Weld | 4.1% | 106,327 | 0 | |
| Green | Jill Stein/Ajamu Baraka | 1.3% | 34,345 | 0 | |
| Other | Write-in votes | 0.7% | 18,925 | 0 | |
| Total Votes | 2,573,165 | 11 | |||
| Election results via: Arizona Secretary of State | |||||
Arizona presidential election results (1900-2024)
- 9 Democratic wins
- 20 Republican wins
| Year | 1900 | 1904 | 1908 | 1912 | 1916 | 1920 | 1924 | 1928 | 1932 | 1936 | 1940 | 1944 | 1948 | 1952 | 1956 | 1960 | 1964 | 1968 | 1972 | 1976 | 1980 | 1984 | 1988 | 1992 | 1996 | 2000 | 2004 | 2008 | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winning Party | N/A | N/A | N/A | D | D | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | R | R | R | R | R | D | R |
Redistricting following the 2020 census
On January 24, 2022, Arizona enacted new legislative maps after the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission transmitted its finalized plans to the secretary of state.[46] The commission initially voted to finalize and certify the legislative map plan on Jan. 21.[47] The commission's nonpartisan chairwoman, Erika Neuberg, joined the two Republican members—David Mehl and Douglas York—voting in favor of the map. The commission's two Democratic members—Shereen Lerner and Derrick Watchman—were opposed.[48] This map took effect for Arizona's 2022 legislative elections.
2024 battleground elections
- See also: Battlegrounds
This was a battleground election. Other 2024 battleground elections included:
- Alabama's 2nd Congressional District election, 2024 (March 5 Democratic primary)
- New York's 1st Congressional District election, 2024
- United States Senate election in New Mexico, 2024
See also
| Arizona | State Legislative Elections | News and Analysis |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 |
|
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 ABC News, "AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Arizona on Election Day," October 21, 2024
- ↑ The Arizona Mirror, "Record outside spending floods Arizona legislative races as Dems make their play for a majority," October 21, 2024
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 NBC News, "Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs signs repeal of 1864 abortion ban," May 2, 2024
- ↑ NPR, "Tired of presidential politics? Here’s where power could shift in state capitols, too," October 3, 2024
- ↑ NPR, "In Arizona, will abortion access and immigration ballot measures drive turnout?" June 12, 2024
- ↑ NBC News, "These are the battlegrounds where state legislative control is up for grabs," September 28, 2024
- ↑ Judy Schwiebert 2024 Campaign Website, "About," accessed October 27, 2024
- ↑ CNalysis, "Arizona," accessed October 27, 2024
- ↑ AZ Central, "Control of the Arizona Senate is up for grabs. Here's who's running," August 30, 2024
- ↑ Arizona Mirror, "Record outside spending floods Arizona legislative races as Dems make their play for a majority," October 21, 2024
- ↑ Carine Werner 2024 Campaign Website, "Meet Carine," accessed October 27, 2024
- ↑ CNalysis, "Arizona," accessed October 27, 2024
- ↑ AZ Central, "Control of the Arizona Senate is up for grabs. Here's who's running," August 30, 2024
- ↑ Robert Scantlebury 2024 Campaign Website, "Meet Robert," accessed October 27, 2024
- ↑ CNalysis, "Arizona," accessed October 27, 2024
- ↑ AZ Central, "Control of the Arizona Senate is up for grabs. Here's who's running," August 30, 2024
- ↑ Sharon Lee Winters 2024 Campaign Website, "Home," accessed October 27, 2024
- ↑ CNalysis, "Arizona," accessed October 27, 2024
- ↑ AZ Central, "Control of the Arizona Senate is up for grabs. Here's who's running," August 30, 2024
- ↑ Arizona Mirror, "Record outside spending floods Arizona legislative races as Dems make their play for a majority," October 21, 2024
- ↑ Stacey Seaman 2024 Campaign Website, "About," accessed October 27, 2024
- ↑ CNalysis, "Arizona," accessed October 27, 2024
- ↑ AZ Central, "Control of the Arizona Senate is up for grabs. Here's who's running," August 30, 2024
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on May 31, 2024
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on May 13, 2024
- ↑ CNalysis, "Arizona," accessed October 27, 2024
- ↑ AZ Central, "Control of the Arizona Senate is up for grabs. Here's who's running," August 30, 2024
- ↑ Michelle Altherr 2024 Campaign Website, "About," accessed October 27, 2024
- ↑ CNalysis, "Arizona," accessed October 27, 2024
- ↑ AZ Central, "Control of the Arizona Senate is up for grabs. Here's who's running," August 30, 2024
- ↑ Ballotpedia defines an incumbent as retiring if the incumbent did not file for office or filed for office but withdrew, was disqualified, or otherwise left a race in a manner other than losing the primary, primary runoff, or convention. If an incumbent runs as a write-in candidate, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring. If an incumbent runs in the same chamber for a different seat, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring.
- ↑ Ballotpedia defines a seat as open if the incumbent did not file to run for re-election or filed but withdrew and did not appear on any ballot for his or her seat. If the incumbent withdrew from or did not participate in the primary but later chose to seek re-election to his or her seat as a third party or independent candidate, the seat would not be counted as open. If the incumbent retired or ran for a different seat in the same chamber, his or her original seat would be counted as open unless another incumbent from the same chamber filed to run for that seat, in which case it would not be counted as open due to the presence of an incumbent.
- ↑ AZ Family, "Arizona’s abortion measure, presidential race likely to boost young voter turnout," accessed August 17, 2024
- ↑ KJZZ, "KJZZ's Friday NewsCap: Big win, small setback for AZ abortion rights initiative," accessed August 17, 2024
- ↑ Washington Examiner, "Harris banks on abortion ballot measures for Southwest path to victory," accessed August 17, 2024
- ↑ The New York Times, "Immigration Measure Added to the Ballot in Arizona," accessed August 17, 2024
- ↑ North County Public Radio, "In Arizona, will abortion access and immigration ballot measures drive turnout?," accessed August 17, 2024
- ↑ KOLD, "HCR 2060 could have huge impact on voter turnout in November," accessed August 17, 2024
- ↑ Arizona for Abortion Access, "Homepage," accessed January 10, 2023
- ↑ It Goes Too Far, "Homepage," accessed January 10, 2023
- ↑ Arizona Secretary of State, "Running for Statewide Office," accessed July 23, 2025
- ↑ Arizona Revised Statutes, "Title 16, Chapter 3, Section 301," accessed July 23, 2025
- ↑ Arizona Revised Statutes, "Title 16, Chapter 3, Section 302," accessed July 23, 2025
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2024 Legislator Compensation," August 21, 2024
- ↑ Arizona Revised Statutes, "41-1101, Section B," accessed November 22, 2016
- ↑ Phone conversation with Valerie Neumann, AIRC executive assistant, Jan. 25, 2022]
- ↑ Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission, "Official Maps," accessed Jan. 21, 2022
- ↑ Tucson Sentinel, "Arizona Redistricting Commission gives final certification to new election maps," Jan. 21, 2022
