HCR 2033
Initials JH/IG Page 1 Municipal Oversight & Elections
ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Fifty-sixth Legislature
First Regular Session
HCR2033: primary elections; eligible candidates
Sponsor: Representative Smith, LD 29
Committee on Municipal Oversight & Elections
Overview
Prohibits any election law in Arizona that is contrary to the direct primary election law as outlined
in the Arizona Constitution.
History
A regular primary election is the first Tuesday in August in any year that a general election or
special election is held and at which candidates for public office are to be elected. At least 120
days before the date of a regular primary election, the Secretary of State must prepare and
transmit the state and federal offices for which candidates are to be nominated for at the primary
election to the Board of Supervisors of each county (A.R.S. §§ 16-201, 16-202).
Ranked choice voting allows each voter to rank multiple candidates for the same office on a ballot
in order of preference rather than making a single choice. After the ballots in the election have
been counted, if a candidate is a majority of the electorate’s first choice, that candidate is the
winner of the election (CRS Report).
Provisions
1. Clarifies that the direct primary election law of Arizona supersedes any contrary law of any
charter, law, ordinance, rule, resolution or policy of any city or town. (Sec. 1)
2. Requires the direct primary law to be conducted in a manner that allows each qualified political
party to nominate a number of candidates equal to the number of available positions in a given
office. (Sec. 1)
3. Adds that all eligible candidates who are nominated in the primary are to be placed on the
ballot for the subsequent general election. (Sec. 1)
☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☐ Fiscal Note