The Arizona Supreme Court ruled in favor of keeping a proposition seeking to remove partisan primary elections on the ballot despite a dispute over signatures used to qualify the measure.
Proposition 140 would make the primary system in Arizona similar to neighboring California, allowing the top two finishers in a jungle primary to advance to the general election regardless of party. The current system allows each political party to hold its own primary to select who will be on the general election ballot.
Voters will decide on the proposition in November.
The state Supreme Court upheld a prior ruling from the Maricopa County Superior Court, which dismissed the challenge from the opponents of the measure. Officials had found nearly 38,000 duplicate signatures but ruled that despite this, there were still enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot.
The Arizona Free Enterprise Club, a group opposing the measure, cited the duplicate signatures in a statement Friday expressing their disappointment in the ruling.
“We are disappointed in the ruling of the court on this matter. Our organization proved that the special interest groups attempting to hijack Arizona’s elections systems lacked the minimum number to qualify for the ballot to even be considered by voters in November. The special master in this case ruled that 99% of the signatures in question should be disqualified,” the statement read.
“The committee behind the measure was aware of the duplicates, yet they obstructed and delayed the review of the duplicate signatures for over a month. Prop 140 should have been thousands of submissions under the constitutionally required signature threshold to qualify for the ballot,” the statement continued.
The Make Elections Fair Committee, the main group backing Proposition 140, said it was “thrilled” by the high court’s ruling, which paves the way for the measure to remain on the ballot.
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“The Make Elections Fair Committee is thrilled with our latest victory for Prop. 140 before the Supreme Court. 32 days from now we will celebrate again when all Arizonans are liberated from the grip of partisan primary elections. It’s time to move forward. It’s time for open primaries in Arizona,” Sarah Smallhouse, chairwoman of the committee, said in a statement.
Election Day in Arizona and nationwide is Nov. 5. Early voting in Arizona begins on Oct. 9.
