logo

AZ Campaign to Adopt Nonpartisan Elections Suspended after Key Donor Drops Out

image
Author: Greg Parker
Created: 11 March, 2016
Updated: 16 October, 2022
1 min read

Correction note: This article originally said that Open Primaries spent $300,000 in support of the donation disclosure initiative. It was the coalition in support of both initiatives. The article has been corrected.

Salon reported Thursday that a campaign to adopt nonpartisan elections in Arizona suspended its efforts after a major donor dropped out.

Texas billionaire John Arnold had contributed at least $1 million in support of the campaign to adopt a nonpartisan, top-two open primary similar to the systems in California and Washington state through the organization Open Primaries. He later learned that nearly half of his donations were going toward another initiative.

This second ballot measure would require that groups who spend money to influence elections disclose any donations exceeding $10,000. The coalition in support of both initiatives spent $300,000 of his donations in support of this initiative.

Arnold voiced his opposition to this funding and $178,000 of his donation was returned this week. The two former Phoenix mayors who were benefiting from Arnold’s contributions have suspended their campaign in support of the nonpartisan, top-two primary until they can find alternate sources of funds.

Read the full article here.

Photo Credit: Niyazz / shutterstock.com

Latest articles

A wide shot of an Alaska city.
In a True Nail-Biter, Alaska Voters Reject Repeal of Top 4 Primary and Ranked Choice Voting
Two weeks after Election Day, Alaska voters finally know the fate of their election system. The choice before them was keep the nonpartisan Top 4 primary system with ranked choice voting in the general election or go back to partisan control over elections....
21 November, 2024
-
5 min read
Coin with Trump's face on it.
How Will the New Government Affect Independent Voters' Finances?
My rates! What happened to my rates? Partisan and independent voters ranked the economy the most important issue in the 2024 election....
20 November, 2024
-
9 min read
An elephant and donkey facing each other on a red bar.
Understanding The ‘Other Side’ Is More Important Than Ever
For some of us, just reading the title of this piece may be irritating — even maddening. If you’re scared about Trump’s election, being asked to understand the “other side” can seem a distant concern compared to your fears of what might happen during his presidency....
20 November, 2024
-
4 min read