Arizonans will get to decide whether to add voter ID requirements to state elections, keep transgender children out of peer’s bathrooms and more in November, as lawmakers passed a series of last minute ballot measures.
In addition to voter referendums — however many can gather enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot — Arizonans will decide the fate of 10 other measures sent to the ballot the last two years by Republican lawmakers.
Several of those measures were added at the very end of the legislative session, which wrapped up for the year at 4:45 am on Saturday morning, allowing lawmakers to officially hit the campaign trail.
Proposed changes to elections
One proposal, passed on party lines, would require voters to show ID before voting.
Democrats questioned how people who vote by mail are supposed to do that.
Under current state law, Arizonans must show ID to register to vote in state and local races and must show ID at the polls on election day if they vote in person, but not if they use drop boxes or vote by mail.
“Would they slip a copy of their driver’s license into their ballot? Would they write their social security number inside? I mean it’s really not spelled out. It’s like very bad homework. This is a rushed attempt and a very thinly veiled attempt to eliminate mail in voting,” Sen. Lauren Kuby (D-Tempe) told her colleagues.
Republicans argued the measure, HCR 2001, will increase transparency in elections and improve security. They’re calling the measure the “Fast Election Results Act.”
“We should be citizens in order to vote in our elections,” Rep. Rachel Keshel (R-Tucson) said. “We should have valid ID in order to vote in our elections. Our vote is sacred.”
An earlier version of the measure would have sped up election results by moving up the deadline to end early voting and prohibiting votes from being cast after the polls close on election day.
However, since those provisions have been removed from the bill, it’s not clear how it would make results faster.
Transgender legislation
Republican lawmakers have pushed bills for the last few years to restrict transgender students from using bathrooms, pronouns and locker rooms that don’t match their biological sex.
Hobbs has consistently struck that legislation down, although GOP lawmakers did pass a bill banning transgender girls from playing girls sports when Republican Gov. Doug Ducey was in office.
On Friday, Republicans added HCR 2003 — a ballot measure requiring athletic associations to separate sports based on sex and bans transgender athletes from using bathrooms, locker rooms or other private spaces that don’t align with their biological sex.
Democrats called the legislation discriminatory and bigoted
“I want every kid that’s watching and that is going to see the hurtful things that come out as this heads out to the ballot to know how loved you are and to know how valuable you are,” Sen. Analise Ortiz (D-Phoenix) said.
But Republicans said the measure is about protecting girls in sports.
“Republicans are obsessed with fairness and safety. … A transgender female has all of the physical benefits of God-given testosterone. They have an advantage,” Sen. John Kavanagh (R-Fountain Hills) said.
Traffic cameras
For years, Sen. Wendy Rogers (R-Flagstaff) has attempted to ban the cameras used by some Arizona cities to bust drivers who exceed the speed limit or run red lights only to have those bills vetoed by Hobbs.
Last year, the governor said she vetoed the bill because it hampers the ability of law enforcement to keep streets safe.
Now, Arizona voters will get the final say with SCR 1004.
Rogers’ ballot referral would ban photo traffic enforcement systems in Arizona, unless a local government or state agency already has a contract in place for those devices. In that case, the measure would require those municipalities to ask for voter approval to keep using the cameras.
The referral passed both the House and Senate with only Republican votes.
Conflicting ballot measures on school vouchers
A failed attempt at finding a compromise between public school advocates, the teachers’ union and Republican lawmakers triggered a wave of legislative ballot referrals that Democrats criticized as a coordinated attack on public schools.
GOP senators claimed one legislative ballot referral is simply about asking voters to preserve vouchers used by military families. But the legislation also includes specific language intended to void the more stringent reforms backed by public school advocates and teachers.
GOP lawmakers went on to pass two more ballot measures which public school teachers oppose.
HCR 2040 would restrict teachers from engaging in union activity. Another measure, HCR 2007, would limit the amount of funding schools can use for administrative purposes.
The bill sponsor, Rep. Matt Gress (R-Phoenix) said his legislation ensures money lawmakers send to schools will actually go to teachers and classrooms, not administrative bloat.
“I’m crushed that we will be moving these referrals to the ballot. I do not think our voters deserve to see so many attacks on hardworking people put forward this way,” Sen. Priya Sundareshan (D-Tucson) said of the measures.
Anti-discrimination
House Speaker Steve Montenegro (R-Goodyear) sponsored a measure to prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin or ethnicity, which is already illegal.
HCR 2044 bans the state from spending any money on discriminating against individuals as it relates to employment, education or contracts.
The measure targets Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and policies that aim to give minority groups a leg up.
Measures from 2025
Lawmakers also passed three ballot measures in 2025, making the total amount that will be on the ballot this year 10.
One measure from last year would designate drug cartels as terrorist organizations, if approved by voters.
Another measure would prohibit the state, and all municipalities, from imposing a mileage-based tax on vehicles.
Lastly, lawmakers added a measure in 2025 which bans municipalities from taxing groceries above 2%.
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