16-204

16-204. Declaration of statewide concern;
consolidated election dates

A. While the legislature recognizes that the method of conducting elections by
political subdivisions, including charter counties and cities, may be a matter of local
concern, the legislature finds and determines that for the purposes of increasing voter
participation and for decreasing the costs to the taxpayers it is a matter of statewide
concern that all elections in this state be conducted on a limited number of days and,
therefore, the legislature finds and declares that the holding of all elections on
certain specific consolidated days is a matter of statewide concern.

B. Notwithstanding any other law or any charter or ordinance of any county, city or
town to the contrary, an election held for or on behalf of a county, city or town, a
school district, a community college district or special districts organized pursuant to
title 48, chapters 5, 6, 8, 10, 13 through 16 and 33 may only be held on the following
dates:

1. Except for regular elections for candidates in a city or town with a population
of one hundred seventy-five thousand or more persons, all elections, including recall
elections and special elections to fill vacancies, shall be held on:

(a) The second Tuesday in March.

(b) The third Tuesday in May.

(d) The first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Notwithstanding any other
law, an election must be held on this date for the approval of an obligation or other
authorization requiring or authorizing the assessment of secondary property taxes by a
county, city, town, school district, community college district or special taxing
district, except as provided by title 48.

2. For regular elections that are only for candidates in a city or town with a
population of one hundred seventy-five thousand or more persons and not including recall
elections and special elections to fill vacancies in those cities or towns, elections
shall be held on:

(a) The tenth Tuesday before the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

(b) The first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

C. For any city or town, including a charter city, that holds its regularly
scheduled candidate elections in even-numbered years pursuant to subsection B, paragraph
2, the term of office for a member of the city council or for the office of mayor begins
on or after the second Tuesday in January in the year following the election.

D. This section does not apply to an election regarding a county or city charter
committee or county or city charter proposal that is conducted pursuant to article XIII,
section 2 or 3 or article XII, section 5, Constitution of Arizona.