Arizona AG asks Supreme Court to decide Tucson election date
Jul 18, 2020, 1:00 PM
Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich (middle). (KTAR News/Griselda Zetino)
(KTAR News/Griselda Zetino)
TUCSON, Ariz. — Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich on Friday asked the state Supreme Court to weigh in on a dispute between Tucson and the state Legislature over the city’s plans to hold elections in 2021 instead of an even-numbered year.
Brnovich, a Republican, said Tucson’s election plans may violate a 2018 law requiring cities to hold their elections in even-numbered years if their off-year elections show a significantly lower turnout. Tucson officials say state lawmakers can’t tell them when to hold their city elections.
If the Supreme Court sides with Brnovich, Tucson will have to change its election date or lose state funding that amounts to about a quarter of its general fund revenue.
Brnovich looked into the issue at the request of Republican Rep. T.J. Shope.
“This is another attempt by our State Legislature to micromanage and undermine our ability to self-govern as a city,” Tucson Mayor Regina Romero said in a statement.
