TUCSON – (KVOA) Voters will post ballots on Tuesday that will make decisions in the Tucson Mayor’s office and the 1st, 2nd and 4th primary districts of the City Council.
Tucson and Prescott are the only two cities in Arizona that hold elections in odd-numbered years.
In this all-by-mail ballot primary, the city of Tucson is showing just over 26 percent voter turnout the day before Election Day.
District 13 State Senator JD Mesnard, a Republican from Chandler, thinks that’s too low. Messnar argues there are big reasons for low voter turnout.
“If you hold elections at odd times of the year or in odd years, you are suppressing votes, which is suppressing voter turnout,” Mesnar said.
But Tucson has had elections in odd-numbered years for decades, and it’s hard to break with tradition.
In 2021, the Arizona Supreme Court sided with the city of Tucson when the state sought to hold elections in even-numbered years.
Tucson City Councilman Steve Kozachik said, “We may have a higher voter turnout, but we are at the bottom of the poll.” “People have to go through federal races, state races, all propositions, all county races, and finally get to us. It’s the show and we’re the number one show.” With just one thing on the ballot, people are forced to pay attention to city council candidates.
Mesnard told News4Tucson that he plans to introduce a constitutional amendment on the issue before voters during next fall’s presidential election, when Arizona is a battleground state.
The state senator believes Arizonas will support the bill.
“And if I introduce it and pass it through parliament, it will move on to the November 2024 vote,” Mesnar said. “I think people agree that there is a time in the year, or every other year really, that there is an efficiency in that there is a time to sit down and consider all the candidates for different positions.”
Kozachik wants Tucson to keep the tradition alive.
“We asked voters how they would like this to be, and they were vocal about wanting you in odd years,” he said. “We want to focus on local elections and do homework on candidates and local issues. They don’t want us to be last on the ballot in even years. Don’t worry about what’s going on with us.” The city of Tucson is running an election.”
