Assigned to JUDE                                                                                                                             AS VETOED

 

 

 

 


ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session

 

VETOED

FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1441

 

school districts; partisan elections

Purpose

Requires a school district governing board candidate's political party to appear on the ballot.

Background

Statute requires the names of school district governing board candidates to appear on the ballot without partisan designation and with the title of the office being sought. School district governing board candidates must be placed on the nonpartisan ballot along with the names of candidates for: 1) justices of the Arizona Supreme Court; 2) judges of the court of appeals;
4) judges of the superior court; and 5) other nonpartisan positions. Candidate names that must appear on the partisan ballot include: 1) candidates for President and Vice President of the United States; 2) presidential electors; 3) U.S. Senator; 4) Representatives in U.S. Congress; 5) the several state offices; and 6) the several county and precinct offices (A.R.S. §§ 15-422 and 16-502).

There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.

Provisions

1.   Requires a school district governing board candidate's partisan designation to appear on the ballot with the candidate's name and the title of the office being sought.

2.   Specifies that partisan designation means the political party of which the candidate is a qualified elector 150 days before the day of the primary election for the election cycle in which the person is a candidate.

3.   Requires partisan designations for school governing board candidates to appear on the ballot beginning January 1, 2026.

4.   Makes technical changes.

5.   Becomes effective on the general effective date.

Governor's Veto Message

The Governor indicates in her veto message that she maintains her viewpoint from last session that partisan politics do not belong in Arizona's schools.

Senate Action                                                          House Action

JUDE              2/12/25      DP       4-2-1                   ED                3/11/25      DPA           7-4-1-0                         

3rd Read          2/26/25                  17-11-2               3rd Read       4/15/25                          32-20-8                        

 

Vetoed by the Governor 4/18/25

Prepared by Senate Research

April 24, 2025

ZD/AW/ci