Sun Sounds of Arizona, a radio reading service from Rio Salado College's Division of Public Service, created condensed versions of Arizona's 2024 ballot propositions read aloud in Navajo.
Learn about each of the 13 propostions on the general election ballot and hear the Diné bizaad translation for each ballot measure. Visit sunsounds.org to hear versions in English and Hopi.
Proposition 133: Partisan primaries
Proposition 133 would amend the state Constitution to require partisan primary elections for all partisan offices. It would only allow political parties to nominate the same number of candidates as the positions open in the general election. That is how statewide elections already function, but this would prospectively block an effort to create ranked choice voting in Arizona. This measure was referred to the ballot by Republican state lawmakers.
Proposition 134: Changes to citizen initiatives
Proposition 134 would change Arizona’s citizen initiative process to require proponents of a measure to gather signatures from everywhere in the state to get something on the ballot. Arizonans currently have the power to get an initiative or referendum measure placed on the ballot if they collect enough valid signatures from fellow Arizonans anywhere in the state. This measure would require proponents of a statewide initiative to collect signatures from at least 15% of the people in each of Arizona’s 30 legislative districts spanning the entire state for constitutional amendments. For statutory amendments, it would require proponents of a measure to collect 10% of the signatures of the Arizonans in each legislative district. The measure was referred to the ballot by Republican state lawmakers in 2023.
Proposition 135: State of emergency powers
Proposition 135 would give the state Legislature the authority to end a state of emergency and to alter the emergency powers of the governor. Under current law; the governor can declare a “state of emergency” under certain dangerous conditions such as a natural disaster or epidemic. This measure would terminate a state of emergency after 30 days unless the Legislature extends it unless the emergency is caused by war, a flood or fire. The measure was referred to the ballot by Republican state lawmakers in 2023.
Proposition 136: Ballot measure challenges
Proposition 136 would allow Arizonans to challenge the legality of potential ballot measures before they’re voted on. Under current law, a measure can only face constitutional challenges after it’s been enacted by Arizona voters. Under Prop. 136, if a court finds a proposed measure is unconstitutional, then the Secretary of State’s Office would not be allowed to print it on ballots. The measure was referred to the ballot by Republican state lawmakers in 2024.
Proposition 137: Judicial retention
Proposition 137 would put an end to term limits for Arizona Supreme Court justices and some other judges who are up for retention every few years under the current state system. If Prop. 137 passes, voters would no longer choose whether to retain those justices. Instead, they would serve as long as they remain on terms of good behavior. Any justices on the November ballot would also automatically stay in office if the measure passes, even if voters choose to reject them. The measure was referred to the ballot by Republican state lawmakers in 2024.
Proposition 138: Tipped workers
Proposition 138 would allow employers to pay their employees up to 25% less than the minimum wage if those employees are paid the equivalent of the minimum wage plus $2 per hour due to tips. Under current Arizona law, employers may pay tipped workers $3 less than the minimum wage per hour if the employee makes at least the minimum wage factoring in tips. The measure was referred to the ballot by Republican state lawmakers in 2024 and is supported by the Arizona Restaurant Association.
Proposition 139: Right to abortion
Proposition 139 would establish a right to abortion in Arizona’s Constitution. Under current state law, abortions are legal until 15 weeks of pregnancy. Prop. 139 would legalize abortions through fetal viability — which is around 24 weeks gestation — unless a health-care professional determines an abortion is necessary to protect “the life or physical or mental health of the pregnant individual.”
Proposition 140: Open primaries
Proposition 140, also called the Make Elections Fair Act, is a citizen initiative that would create an open primary election system in Arizona. Under that system, all candidates for a specific office would run against each other in a single primary election, regardless of their political affiliation. The measure would then give lawmakers the option to create a top-two general election featuring the top primary candidates, regardless of party, or a ranked-choice voting general election featuring more than two candidates. The open system would replace Arizona’s traditional partisan primary in which voters who are registered with a party can only vote in that party’s primary election. Under the current system, independent voters are allowed to opt in to participate in one party’s primary.
Proposition 311: First responder death payment
The Arizona Legislature sent Proposition 311 to the ballot. If passed, the proposition would create a new $250,000 death benefit payment for the spouse or children of a first responder who is killed in the line of duty. It would establish a $20 penalty levied against all criminal convictions to pay for the benefit. If the balance in the death benefit fund exceeds $2 million, the Legislature could also use the money to pay for peace officer training, equipment and other benefits. The law would also broaden the law that sets the parameters for when a person is guilty of aggravated assault. Under current law, an assault charge can be upgraded to aggravated assault if the crime is committed against a peace officer; Prop. 311 would add all first responders to that list. It would also increase the criminal punishments faced by individuals accused of committing aggravated assault against peace officers.
Proposition 312: Property tax refund
Republican lawmakers sent Proposition 312 to the ballot. It would give property owners the opportunity to apply for a property tax refund once per year between 2025 and 2035 to offset expenses they incurred due to a city, town or county’s failure to address a public nuisances, including illegal camping, obstructing roadways, loitering, panhandling, public urination or public consumption of drugs or alcohol. The law would allow property owner to recoup the cost of documented expenses not to exceed the total primary property tax the property owner paid to the responsible municipality in the prior year.
Proposition 313: Child sex trafficking sentence
If passed, Proposition 313, which was sent to the ballot by the Arizona Legislature, would create a mandatory life sentence for individuals convicted of a Class 2 felony for child sex trafficking. Under current Arizona law, a person convicted of Class 2 felony for child sex trafficking faces a prison sentence of seven years to life in prison depending on a number of circumstances, including the age of the victim, the nature of the crime and the person’s prior convictions.
Proposition 314: Secure the Border Act
Proposition 314, also called the Secure Border Act, was referred to the ballot by Republican lawmakers. The broad border and immigration legislation was inspired by Texas’ SB 2 and would create a new state law criminalizing crossing Arizona’s border with Mexico outside a legal port of entry. That is already illegal under federal law, but Prop. 314 would give sheriffs, local police and state law enforcement the power to enforce that prohibition. If voters approve the proposition, that section of the law would only go into effect after the Texas law, which is currently facing federal court challenges, is allowed to be implemented. Prop. 314 would also create new penalties for individuals who use fraudulent documents to obtain employment or public benefits. It would also create increased penalties for individuals convicted of knowingly selling fentanyl that originated outside of the U.S. that led to the death of another person.
Proposition 315: Regulatory rule changes
Sent to the ballot by Republican lawmakers, Proposition 315 would require state agencies to submit proposed regulatory rule changes to the Legislature for approval if the proposed rule is estimated to increase regulatory costs by more than $500,000 within five years. The law would allow any legislator or person affected by the rule to ask the Office of Economic Opportunity to review a proposed rule change to determine if it meets the threshold for legislative review. The new law would not apply to the Arizona Corporation Commission or emergency rules.
