Tucson, Arizona, is the only city in Arizona that uses partisan elections for its own Mayor and City Council elections. According to this news story, the city is likely to sue the state, in order to preserve its partisan elections. The state legislature earlier this year passed a law requiring all cities to use non-partisan elections.
Too bad they still feel the need to hang on to party politics.
Don’t some other states– California, e.g.– mandate nonpartisan local elections? Even in a nonpartisan system, the parties still have the right to nominate/endorse candidates. But unlike a partisan system, the state does not recognize those nominations/endorsements (as it is not required to do).
It seems to me that Tucson’s chances of winning such a lawsuit are slim.
But it will be an interesting case.
Too bad [for the last 130 years] Phoenix still feels the need to interfere with Pima County Public Administration ….. This stuff goes all the way back to the U of Arid Zona and the 1880s.
I felt anti partisan primaries in Pima County in the 1970s, but Tucson’s politics are Tucson’s responsibilities. Maricopa County and the anti Tucson attitude of the state assembly are the bad guys! The state wrangling was a one target effort, aimed directly and specifically at Tucson!
Back off bullies!