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A Guide to Arizona Propositions

Initiative and Referendum Measures
Arizona's Constitution puts legislative power not only in a House of Representatives and Senate, but in the people themselves.

Initiative
This means that Arizona voters have the ability to propose laws or constitutional amendments or changes to laws or the Constitution through the initiative process. To propose such changes, the proponents must file an application with the Secretary of State, including a summary of the measure and the complete text that is proposed to be submitted to a vote of the people. If sufficient signatures are gathered, the Proposition will be placed on the general election ballot.

Referendum
Not only do Arizona voters have the ability to propose laws, they may also circulate a petition against a measure or part of a measure approved by the Legislature. As with initiative measures, to propose such changes, the proponents must file an application with the Secretary of State, including a summary of the proposal and the text of the measure or portion of the measure that is proposed to be submitted to a vote of the people. If sufficient signatures are gathered, the Proposition will be placed on the general election ballot.

NUMBERING OF BALLOT MEASURES

State law requires that ballot measures be numbered according to four criteria:

100. Constitutional amendments, whether initiated by the people or referred by the Legislature, are numbered in the 100s.

200. Citizen initiatives to create new or amend current state laws (statutes) are numbered in the 200s.

300. Legislative referrals to create new or amend current statutes are numbered in the 300s.

400. Local matters are numbered in the 400s.

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