On May 14, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed HB 2826, which requires all localities in Arizona to only hold elections in even-numbered years, and only on the date of either the state primary or the state general election. One of the awkward consequences is that many cities will either need to shorten the terms of various elected officials or lengthen them. For example, see this story about how the bill affects the city of Kingman. Thanks to Joshua Spivak of Recall Elections Blog for this news.
Currently, Arizona requires local election elections to be conducted on one of four dates – 2nd Tuesday in March, 3rd Tuesday in May, 10th Tuesday before the general election (late August), and 1st Tuesday, after 1st Monday in November. So this bill eliminates the spring dates and odd-years.
Since Arizona will adopt the Top 2 reform this November, voters will be used to the August date as an important election date.
Some Arizona cities have a Top 2 primary, and HB 2826 requires that the primary be in August, and general election in November.
Some Arizona cities have a general election, with runoff if necessary, and HB 2826 requires the general election to be in August, with the runoff in November.
Arizona cities that permit election by plurality will have to use the November date.
P.R. and nonpartisan App.V.
ONE election day per cycle.
In some districts this can mean a big deal as voter turnout in even years is nearly always significantly higher than in odd years since there is always a presidential or congressional election on an even year. In my home town in New Jersey voter turnout was only 31 percent in 2003 when the highest office up for election was state senate but was 81 percent in 2004 during the presidential election.