ARIZONA DAILY STAR:  Thurs., July 2, 2009

Legislators OK change to Tucson elections

By Daniel Scarpinato

Vote would be nonpartisan; governor to have final say

PHOENIX — The Legislature has approved major changes in how Tucsonans elect their City Council members. Now the issue is in the hands of Gov. Jan Brewer.  Under SB 1123, Tucson would join every other city and town in the state and hold nonpartisan elections for its council and mayor.  Additionally, Tucson's unusual practice of electing council members who represent specific districts, known as wards, in citywide elections would be wiped out under the legislation. That also would make Tucson conform with the rest of the state.

If signed by Brewer, the bill would take effect sometime in October, but supporters said it's not intended to affect this year's council races, because the primary already would have occurred.   Democrats pointed out that Tucsonans have previously rejected the change themselves. Tucson voters last voted down the switch to nonpartisan election in 1992.

The council has not referred it to voters since.  Councilman Steve Leal, a Democrat, said the change is bad policy.

"Nonpartisan races decrease turnout," he said. "You lower turnout; you lower legitimacy."

The bill's sponsor, Sen. Jonathan Paton, R-Tucson, has said that the city's current method of electing its council pushes candidates to the extremes, because local issues are not partisan in nature.  The city is still reviewing the legislation to see what changes would be required to the city charter, City Attorney Michael Rankin said.