(The Center Square) – A poll conducted by Noble Predictive Insights looked at two ballot propositions that could change the way the Arizona legislature and courts operate. However, the chance of either receiving a majority of votes is low, according to the polling.
Prop. 135 would limit executive emergency powers, meaning that after 30 days of the governor establishing a state of emergency, their executive emergency powers would be limited. Only the Arizona legislature would have the ability to continue the state of emergency if needed. Additionally the state legislature would have the ability to terminate or alter any emergency procedures during the first 30 days. The ballot initiative comes after former Gov. Doug Ducey and governors across the U.S. locked down their states for months during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the polling, support for this proposition is divided by partisanship as the current governor is Democrat and the legislature has a Republican majority, with 41% of Democrats voting saying they are against it and 39% of Republicans in favor.
“The long hangover from the COVID pandemic might matter here too,” reads the report. “During the pandemic, Republican Gov. Doug Ducey issued a Public Health State of Emergency that lasted for two years – and rankled some anti-lockdown conservatives.”
Mike Noble, president and CEO of Noble Predictive Insights, said it makes sense that conservative Republicans would want this type of control with a Democratic governor in office.
The other proposition people were asked about, Prop. 137, would end term limits and retention elections for supreme court justices and superior court judges. This proposition received very little support from Arizonans polled, with only 31% saying they would vote for it.
According to the amendment, a retention vote would only be required if a judge or justice has shown “non-good behavior.” These behaviors are outlined as the final conviction of a felony offense, the final conviction of a crime involving fraud or dishonesty, the initiation of personal bankruptcy proceedings, the foreclosure of any mortgage or if the majority of members on the Commission on the Judicial Performance Review believes that the justice or judge doesn’t meet judicial performance standards.
“The most prominent gaps in support for Prop 137 were down the lines of education and age,” reads the report. “Among voters with a high school education or less, 35% supported and 25% opposed, while a 56% majority of post-graduates opposed the measure and 30% supported it. Younger voters prefer ending term limits (among 18-to-34-year-olds, 40% supported and 27% opposed) while older voters want to keep them (among those older than 65, 24% supported and 53% opposed).”
There will be a total of 13 propositions on the November ballot that Arizonans will have an opportunity to vote on. An in-depth look at all 13 measures can be found here.
