Lawyers for the city of Tucson are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to reject a bid by a conservative nonprofit group to kill the city’s unique system of electing council members.
When Tucson voters elect their city council members, it’s a two-step process.
First, they nominate their candidate in a ward-only primary. The winner of that contest goes on to the citywide general election where any registered voter can cast a ballot.
The City Attorney said there's nothing inherently unconstitutional about the existing system. And the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upholds the practice.
The Public Integrity Alliance is suing, contending the system illegally disenfranchises voters because they have no voice on who advances from other wards to the city wide election.
The U.S. Supreme Court has yet to decide to hear the case.