Bipartisan Alliance Emerges to Combat Prop 140’s Impact on Arizona Elections

By Matthew Holloway |

The Arizona Supreme Court has recently made a pivotal ruling to allow the tabulation of votes for Proposition 140, a measure advocating for ranked-choice voting. In response, a coalition named the NO on Prop 140 Committee has emerged to challenge this initiative. The committee is co-chaired by Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb and former Arizona Supreme Court Justice Andrew Gould, with support from various organizations spanning the political spectrum.

Lamb and Gould issued a joint statement asserting that decisions about the electoral system should not be controlled by special interest groups. They emphasize that a significant number of Arizonans oppose transforming the state’s voting process, stating, “This scheme to transform our elections into a system found in California is a bad idea.” Their opposition highlights concerns about potential changes to the Arizona Constitution and the implications of implementing such a complex voting system.

According to the Arizona Free Enterprise Club, which is part of this bipartisan coalition, the enactment of Prop 140 could result in several adverse outcomes:

• It would give the Arizona Secretary of State the authority to determine the number of candidates qualifying for the general election ballot across all contests, including their own race.
• This could lead to scenarios where only candidates from a single political party appear on the general election ballot.
• Voters would face the burden of navigating two disparate voting systems on the same ballot, complicating the voting experience.
• Concerns about increased tabulation errors, longer wait times at polling places, and significant delays in election results are also prominent.

As the coalition mobilizes its resources, the debate over the future of voting in Arizona intensifies. The outcome of Proposition 140 could reshape the state’s electoral landscape, fueling discussions on voting methods and democratic processes.

Matthew Holloway is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for the latest stories, or reach out with tips at Matthew@azfreenews.com.