Arizona Initiatives Heading to the Ballot

Posted by Brooke Parent on September 23, 2026

The 2026 ballot will include eight proposed initiatives from the legislature this election year. For the first time in more than 10 years, no citizen-led initiatives gathered enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. Three of the eight propositions were referred by the legislature during the 2025 legislative session, and the remaining five were referred during the 2026 legislative session.

The legislature’s majority party may choose to pass certain measures to voters through a resolution rather than pass them as bills. That route places the issue directly on the ballot and avoids the Governor’s approval or veto.

Because these measures will go directly to voters, they are worth tracking closely for potential policy, operational, and communications impacts.

Linked, you will find 2026 ballot measure language and arguments for or against.

Ballot Measure titles include:

PROP 141: PROHIBITS TAXES OR FEES BASED ON VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED AND LAWS MONITORING OR LIMITING VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED WITHOUT CONSENT.

PROP 142: ADDS FURTHER DETAILS TO THE CONSTITUTIONAL PROHIBITION AGAINST PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT OR DISCRIMINATION BY THE STATE BASED ON RACE, ETHNICITY, OR OTHER CLASSES.

PROP 144: REQUIRES ALL VOTERS, INCLUDING VOTERS WHO VOTE BY MAIL, TO SHOW GOVERNMENT-ISSUED ID TO VOTE IN EACH ELECTION; MAKES OTHER CHANGES TO ELECTION ADMINISTRATION AND CAMPAIGN FINANCE PROHIBITIONS.

PROP 316: RETROACTIVELY PROHIBITS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FROM ADOPTING OR INCREASING A TAX ON GROCERIES WITHOUT VOTER APPROVAL AND SETS A MAXIMUM RATE OF 2%.

PROP 317: DECLARES THAT DRUG CARTELS ARE TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS; DIRECTS THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY TO DO EVERYTHING IN ITS AUTHORITY TO ADDRESS DRUG CARTELS.

PROP 318: REQUIRES ALL SCHOOLS AND ATHLETIC ASSOCIATIONS TO DESIGNATE ATHLETIC TEAMS AS MALE, FEMALE, OR COED BASED ON THE BIOLOGICAL SEX OF THE ATHLETES AS DEFINED AT BIRTH; PROHIBITS THESE ENTITIES FROM AUTHORIZING USE OF PRIVATE SPACES NOT DESIGNATED FOR A PERSON’S SEX.

PROP 319: PROHIBITS STATE AGENCIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FROM USING PHOTO ENFORCEMENT SYSTEMS FOR TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT UNLESS PROVIDED BY CONTRACT AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2026; REQUIRES LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO OBTAIN VOTER APPROVAL TO CONTINUE THEIR USE.

Posted in Advocacy on the Move, Arizona Advocacy.