By admin 
Probably the only easy decision on the Arizona ballot is the abortion measure. Many other important races and initiatives are too close to call.
What you need to know about voting in Arizona on Election Day 2024
A look at how to drop off your ballot or vote in person in Arizona for the 2024 presidential election.
The Republic
Are Election Dayand in the words of then-President Gerald Ford, our long national nightmare is over.
Who am I kidding?
It’s probably just beginning as America transitions from going to the polls to running to the courts or hitting the streets or whatever is going to happen once the people have spoken.
But today is a day for democracy, and the key word for this week is patience.
If you vote today, prepare to wait in line.
Don’t expect much results on election night
It’s not a conspiracy by those demonic Republicans who run Maricopa County. Just a high-turnout, long-vote election, courtesy of an Arizona legislature that proposed 11 to suggest — mainly proposals that a majority of Republicans knew would provide an up-close-and-personal look at Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs’ veto seal.
And if you’re expecting Insta results tonight, prepare to be disappointed.
Again, it’s not a conspiracy. Only the byproduct of a state law That doesn’t allow early ballots submitted to the polls today to be processed until tomorrow. County officials have told me they expect 400,000 of them to be dropped, making it difficult to call it a close race.
Speaking of close races, we’ve got them.
The presidential race in Arizona is one national nail biterand our U.S. Senate is plodding along as Kari Lake hopes to finally land a blow to Democratic U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego.
About the only easy decision is Proposition 139, the abortion rights initiative, which is expected to win easily.
Additionally, this year’s vote is chock full of follow-up questions that could go either way.
Arizona voters have a lot of influence
Will we allow the legislature to push us to make it happen? more difficult to get citizen initiatives on the ballot (Proposition 134) and easier to abolish them (Proposition 136)?
Shall we have one? new open primary system that puts all candidates on one ballot (Proposition 140), or will we protect our current partisan primaries by enshrining them in the state constitution (Proposition 133)?
Shall we limit our power to throw out judges—and, for that matter, invalidate any vote to remove Supreme Court Justices Clint Bolick and Kathryn King, who earlier this year voted to reinstate the state’s 1864 abortion ban (Proposition 137) to throw away?
Should we give local police the power – but not the money – to enforce immigration law (Proposition 314)?
Will the Democrats turn the legislature aroundor will Republicans maintain or even increase their one-vote margins in the House of Representatives and the Senate? Pay special attention to the hotly contested races in Legislative Districts 2, 4, 9, 13, 16, 17 and 23.
There are too many house options to choose just one. But I’ll pay special attention to that LD 2 Senate contest in north Phoenix, featuring nominated Republican Sen. Shawnna Bolick against Democratic Rep. Judy Schwiebert, who serves two terms.
Where will they stand during these important races?
Will Republicans continue to control the Arizona Corporation Commission and implement those all-important Arizona Public Service rate increases?
Will Republican Reps. David Schweikert and Juan Ciscomani seek another term, or will Amish Shah and Kirsten Engel join the Democrats’ bid to take over the U.S. House of Representatives?
Will MAGA forces take over Maricopa County? Pay special attention to the county recorder’s race, featuring Republican Rep. Justin Heap versus Democrat Timothy Stringham. Recorder Stephen Richer was thrown out in the Republican party primaries because they didn’t believe in the stolen election trick.
Also at stake are several crucial seats on the County Board of Supervisors, including the East Valley race to replace Supervisor Jack Sellers, another Republican who was felled for not providing enough support to the election denial crowd.
The MAGA choice is Chandler City Councilman Mark Stewart, but Democrat Joel Navarro received Sellers’ endorsement. That could be crucial, given the political makeup of this swing district.
Finally, will Maricopa County voters move forward with a half cent sales tax to fund the Valley Regional Transportation Plan for the next twenty years (Proposition 479)?
The question was put to a vote last year by a bipartisan coalition of the Legislature, over staunch opposition from the far-right Arizona Freedom Caucus.
“If we pass this, it will be a huge victory for Hobbs and the Democrats,” said Rep. Hope grumbled on social media just before the parliamentary elections.
It will also be a huge win for commuters who don’t like being stuck in horrible traffic for hours.
Reach Roberts [email protected]. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @LaurieRobertsaz and on Discussions on @LaurieRobertsaz.
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