Rural Arizona Action Endorsements

If passed, Proposition 137 would amend the Arizona Constitution to remove voters' ability to hold justices and judges accountable by eliminating the judicial retention process for state Supreme Court justices, Court of Appeals judges, and judges in Coconino, Maricopa, Pima, and Pinal counties. This would allow judges to receive lifetime appointments, reducing transparency and making it harder for the public to ensure judicial accountability.

If passed, Proposition 137 would retroactively apply to this November’s election, potentially overturning voters' decisions not to retain certain justices or judges. This move appears aimed at protecting judges up for retention this year who upheld the 1864 pre-statehood abortion ban.

For over 50 years, Arizona's constitution has allowed voters to hold judges accountable through retention elections. These elections are a vital democratic tool, ensuring judges serve the public interest rather than personal or political agendas. They help prevent the courts from becoming overly politicized by ensuring decisions are grounded in law, not outside pressure.

Currently, the governor appoints judges from a nonpartisan list of nominees, and those judges must stand for retention after their first term. Trial judges face voters every four years, while appeals and Supreme Court judges face voters every six years. Proposition 137 would eliminate these elections and grant judges lifetime appointments. Under the new system, judges would only face removal if convicted of a felony or after a negative performance review by a commission, stripping the public of the ability to vote them out.

In 2016, then-Governor Doug Ducey expanded the state Supreme Court from five to seven seats, consolidating a conservative majority. Since then, the court has made several politically charged decisions that have threatened public school funding, voting rights, and workers' protections.

Eliminating retention elections would weaken Arizona's judiciary by removing a key mechanism of accountability. Preserving these elections is essential to maintaining judicial integrity and upholding democratic principles.

Arizonans deserve a judiciary and political system that remains accountable to the public, not special interests. A No vote on Proposition 137 will ensure that voters continue to have a say in who remains on the bench.

Proposition 139 would make abortion access a constitutional right in Arizona.

Currently, Arizona law limits abortion to the first 15 weeks of gestation without exceptions for victims of rape or incest. This law was passed in 2022 by the state legislature. Doctors who perform an abortion beyond this gestational deadline except to prevent the death or injury of a patient would face a class six felony, which could lead to a prison sentence of up to two years.

Proposition 139 explicitly states every Arizonan has a fundamental right to an abortion. It would prohibit any law, regulation, or policy that would deny, restrict, or interfere with abortion access before fetal viability (when a doctor believes a fetus can survive on its own outside of the uterus) without a compelling reason to do so and in the least restrictive way possible. It also restricts any law that would deny abortion access after fetal viability that is necessary to protect the patient’s life or mental health. Finally, it prevents the state from penalizing anyone who assists another person in exercising their right to abortion.

Vote YES on Proposition 139 to ensure your freedom to make your own healthcare decisions!

If passed, Proposition 314 would criminalize undocumented immigrants, making it a state crime for anyone without legal status to enter Arizona outside of a port of entry. The measure claims to address border security and the fentanyl epidemic but fails to address the root issues of both of these crises.

Rooted in racism, this poorly crafted measure has no geographic limits or protections for individuals who may qualify for legal status under federal law, including individuals seeking asylum. If Proposition 314 goes into effect, Arizonans will be profiled and harassed based on the color of their skin. It would lead to civil rights violations, escalated violence towards communities of color, as well as harm Arizona’s economy - repeating the damage caused by SB1070 nearly 15 years ago.

Under Prop 314, people of all ages—including children and the elderly—could face arrest anywhere, including locations meant to be places of refuge like schools, places of worship, and hospitals. Detained parents would be separated from their children, as local jails don’t allow minors to be held with adults. It also attacks the asylum process, bypassing federal protections meant to safeguard those fleeing persecution

Proposition 314 also imposes an unfunded mandate - the total cost of which is estimated to be upwards of $300 million - on local governments and law enforcement, forcing cities and counties to take on federal immigration enforcement duties. In the absence of an identified funding source, Arizona taxpayers will be forced to shoulder the burden, and local jurisdictions will have to divert resources from other essential services to comply with this unfunded mandate.

Vote No on Proposition 314 to protect Arizona families from racial profiling and unjust detentions.