On November 5, voters in Arizona rejected a ballot measure to implement ranked choice voting in general elections and defeated a competing measure to require partisan primaries.

The ranked choice voting measure, Proposition 140, requires primaries in which candidates, regardless of partisan affiliation, appear on a single ballot.

The measure allows a certain number to advance to the general election, such as top-two or top-four primaries.

In contrast, the partisan primary measure, Proposition 133, is contradictory because a primary cannot be both partisan and include all candidates running in the same primary regardless of party.

While Proposition 133 doesn’t state that ranked-choice voting can’t be used in general elections, Proposition 140 conditions ranked-choice voting on a primary system change.

Proposition 133 would have added the existing system of partisan primaries to the Arizona Constitution, where voters select candidates to represent political parties in the general election.

As of 9:00 a.m. November 6, with more than 58% of the precincts reporting, Proposition 133 failed 58% to 42%.

The Phoenix City Council approved the creation of an ethics commission to independently investigate complaints of ethical violations against elected officials and other city leaders.

Members will focus specifically on corruption-related issues, such as potential violations of Phoenix’s gift policy as well as other possible conflicts of interest among elected officials.

The commission will be comprised of five residents of varying political affiliations: Democrats Louie Lujan and Patricia Sallen; Republicans Jose Samuel Leyvas III and Cheryl Pietkiewicz; and unaffiliated member Peter Schirripa.

The Arizona Secretary of State’s Office has increased campaign contribution limits for the 2023-2024 election cycle.

An individual may now contribute $5,400 per election cycle to a candidate committee for statewide office and legislative office.

Additionally, an individual may contribute $6,650 per election cycle to a candidate committee for district, county, town, and city office.

Contribution limits for PACs have also increased. A PAC without Mega PAC status may contribute $5,400 per election cycle to a candidate for statewide office.

In contrast, a PAC with Mega PAC status may contribute $10,800 per election cycle to candidates for statewide and legislative office, and $13,300 per election cycle to candidates for district, county, town, and city office.

These increases are implemented by the secretary of state in January of odd-numbered years.

Q: What are the different types of lobbyists in Arizona? Which expenditures are required to be reported on the quarterly or annual report? Do expenditures by my contract firm need to be disclosed?

A: In Arizona, there are three main types of lobbyists required to be listed on the principal registration: the designated lobbyist, authorized lobbyists, and Lobbyists for Compensation (LFC). The designated lobbyist acts as the single point of contact for the principal and is required to file quarterly and annual reports. Authorized lobbyists are employed by the principal for the purpose of lobbying, other than the designated lobbyist, listed on the registration and permitted to perform lobbying activities on behalf of the principal.  An LFC is a third-party lobbyist or contract firm compensated for the primary purpose of lobbying on behalf of a principal. While an LFC can act as the designated lobbyist for a principal most companies prefer to use an in-house employee to serve as point of contact for accountability purposes.

The designated lobbyist and each LFC are required to file four separate quarterly reports. The fourth quarter report also requires a cumulative total for the calendar year. While quarterly reports do not require personal expenditures by an authorized lobbyist to be reported, all expenditures must be disclosed in the principal annual report. The principal annual report must also include all reportable expenditures previously disclosed by each LFC on their quarterly reports.

Reportable expenditures provide a benefit to an individual state officer or state employee, whether or not the expenditure was made in the course of lobbying. All expenditures must be reported in one of the following categories: food and beverage; speaking engagement; travel and lodging; flowers; or other expenditures.

Expenditures more than $20 must be itemized and include the name and title of the state officer or employee benefiting; date, amount, and category of expenditure; and the name of the person who made the expenditure on behalf of the principal. Expenditures less than $20 may be reported in the aggregate. Additionally, expenditures for special events require the disclosure of the legislative body invited, date, location, description of event, and the total amount to be disclosed.

Arizona voters approved a constitutional amendment creating the position of lieutenant governor.

Under Proposition 131, the lieutenant governor would be elected on a joint ticket with the governor and would succeed the governor in case of a vacancy.

Arizona is one of five states without a lieutenant governor position.

As of 8:30 a.m. November 9, with 58% of the precincts reporting, the amendment passed 55% to 45%.

Arizona voters approved a campaign finance ballot measure requiring disclosure of original campaign donors.

Proposition 211 requires that anyone making independent expenditures of more than $50,000 on a statewide campaign or $25,000 on a local campaign to disclose the names of the money’s original sources, defined as the persons or businesses that earned the money being spent.

Organizations that fail to disclose would face a fine equal to the amount contributed, or up to three times that amount.

Proposition 211 applies to corporations, nonprofit groups and charities that currently are not required to disclose the names of the people who give money to political campaigns that the organization backs.

As of 8:15 a.m. November 9, with 59% of the precincts reporting, the amendment passed 72.7% to 27.3%.

On November 8, Arizona voters will decide on a campaign finance ballot measure that would require disclosing names of original campaign donors.

Proposition 211 would require that anyone making independent expenditures of more than $50,000 on a statewide campaign or $25,000 on a local campaign to disclose the names of the money’s original sources, which would be defined as the persons or businesses that earned the money being spent.

Organizations that fail to disclose would face a fine equal to the amount contributed, or up to three times that amount.

Proposition 211 would apply to corporations, nonprofit groups and charities that currently are not required to disclose the names of the people who give money to political campaigns that the organization backs.

The proposition would pertain only to spending on political advertising and would be administered by The Citizens Clean Elections Commission.

An Arizona campaign finance bill passed that amends reporting requirements for political action committees and political parties.

Senate Bill 1355 provides for a calendar quarter without an election, a political action committee and political party must file a quarterly report no later than the third Monday in the month after the calendar quarter.

Previously the report was due the 15th day after the calendar quarter.

The bill takes effect September 24.

The 55^th Arizona Legislature adjourned its second regular session sine die on June 25.

During the session, Gov. Doug Ducey signed legislation in March to ensure only U.S. citizens vote in Arizona’s elections, further protecting the state’s voters and strengthening election integrity.

In May, the governor continued to strengthen election laws, signing a bill to update Arizona’s automatic election recount margin threshold to one-half of one percent for specified election contests.

This does not affect lobbying reporting dates.

Arizona State Sen. Jamescita Peshlakai resigned her position on Wednesday, December 22 to take an appointment with the Biden administration.

Peshlakai is the 13^th legislator in Arizona to leave their seat in 2021.

County officials within Peshlakai’s district will choose her replacement.

State Senator Otoniel “Tony” Navarrete of Arizona resigned on August 10, following his arrest on felony charges involving sexual abuse of two minors.

The resignation was immediately effective.

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors will choose a replacement from a list of nominees presented by a citizens’ committee.

The replacement will serve out the rest of Navarrete’s term, which ends in January 2023.

The Arizona Legislature adjourned sine die on June 30, concluding a 171-day session that was among the longest in recent state history.

Relating to campaign finance, Senate Bill 1714 passed. Effective September 28, the bill provides a person who makes an expenditure for an advertisement or fund-raising fundraising solicitation, other than an individual, must include in the advertisement or solicitation the aggregate percentage of out-of-state contributors as calculated at the time the advertisement was produced for publication, display, delivery, or broadcast.

The disclosure must state “paid for by” followed by ” the aggregate percentage of out-of-state contributors. If the advertisement is delivered by hand or by mail, the disclosure must be clearly readable, and if the advertisement is paid for by a political action committee, the disclosure must be displayed in a height that is at least 10% of the vertical height of the advertisement.

Several other significant issues, including the passage of sweeping tax cuts, approval for an increase in unemployment benefits starting in 2022 and criminal justice changes were also resolved by final adjournment.

The 2022 Legislature is scheduled to convene on January 10.

The Arizona Secretary of State’s Office has increased contribution limits for the 2021-2022 election cycle.

Effective January 1, an individual may not contribute more than $5,300 per election cycle to a candidate committee for statewide office and legislative office. Additionally, an individual may not contribute more than $6,550 per election cycle to a candidate committee for district office, county office, town office, and city office.

Contribution limits for PACs have also increased. A PAC without Mega PAC status may not contribute more than $5,300 per election cycle to a candidate for statewide office. In contrast, a PAC with Mega PAC status may contribute $10,600 per election cycle to candidates for statewide and legislative office and $13,100 per election cycle to candidates for county, city, town, or district office.

The Arizona Legislature will close for a week “out of an abundance of caution” after Rudy Giuliani, President Donald Trump’s personal attorney, possibly exposed several Republican lawmakers to COVID-19.

Giuliani had tested positive for the virus less than a week after the former New York City mayor visited Arizona as part of a multistate tour aimed at contesting 2020 election results.

Giuliani had spent more than 10 hours discussing election concerns with Arizona Republicans, including two members of Congress and at least 13 current and future state lawmakers.