Arizona Senate rejects changes to recall elections

April 18, 2013

The Arizona Senate has rejected a proposal to expand recall elections to include both primaries and general elections. The Senate had given the bill its preliminary approval on Tuesday. At that time, members also added a provision to include the incumbent’s name on both the primary and general election ballots, even if that incumbent lost in the primary.

The bill would require a partisan primary in recall elections, if the office otherwise has one. Currently, recalls are just one election, in which any candidate can run.

The bill would also be retroactive to Jan. 1 of this year, which is intended to have it apply to Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, should organizers collect enough signatures to force him into a recall election.

On Thursday, seven Republicans joined Democrats in opposing the bill, although it could come up for another vote in the Senate before the end of the current session. The House approved the measure last month.