Arizona voters approved some and rejected some of the eight statewide propositions. Tucson-area voters rejected Proposition 421, a renewed 25-year franchise for Tucson Electric Power, and approved Proposition 422, a sales tax for Reid Park Zoo, according to unofficial results. Votes are still being counted in Pima County and across the state.

Local ballot measures

Prop. 421: Tucson Electric Power franchise

Unofficial results show 55.15% of voters saying no to a new 25-year agreement between the City of Tucson and Tucson Electric Power as of Wednesday evening.

Proposition 421 asks voters to allow the city to enter into a franchise agreement with TEP, a privately owned utility whose parent company is Canada-based Fortis Inc. TEP holds a monopoly on electricity service in the Tucson metro area and has operated under a 25-year franchise agreement with the City of Tucson since 2000. That agreement was set to expire in April 2026, but was extended through April 2027 after voters rejected a proposed renewal in 2023. TEP would still provide electricity to Tucsonans if Prop. 421 fails. Read more.

In a statement Wednesday, Tucson Mayor Regina Romero said Tucsonans are upset about the cost of living and TEP’s rate increases. She said TEP “must return to the table with a better offer that genuinely meets the needs of our community, ensuring that utility growth and consumer protection go hand in hand.”

Ward 6 council member Miranda Schubert, who has supported a public power model, said the voters’ rejection of Prop. 421 tells her the community wants to be included in a new plan that prioritizes their interests.

“We have to look forward to a future where we’re building trustworthy, dependable, and affordable energy for all Tucsonans,” Schubert said.

One of the messaging points in TEP for Tucson ads was that emergency repairs would take longer without a franchise agreement because the city would have to approve permits before TEP could access public rights of way.

“The city of Tucson will fulfill our obligation to ensure that urgent and emergency repairs aren’t held up by permitting,” Schubert said.

Joseph Barrios, manager of corporate communications at TEP, said it’s difficult to say exactly how TEP will move forward after the franchise agreement expires in April, because they’ve been operating under an agreement for the last 25 years. Company leaders will have to meet with city officials to figure out an efficient process, Barrios said.

“I think the main thing for us is whether the city of Tucson voters supported the measure or not, those voters are still our customers, and we’re going to continue to provide the best service that we possibly can,” he said.

Leading up to the election, the Public Power for Tucson Coalition urged voters to reject Prop. 421, saying it’s a bad deal for Tucsonans as TEP continues to pursue rate hikes. Without a 25-year agreement, the coalition intends to put more pressure on its elected leaders to pursue a city-owned power utility model.

June Williams, a member of the public power coalition, said she was proud to see that Tucsonans saw through the “fear mongering” of TEP’s ads.

“This is a rejection of monopolies. This is a rejection of billionaires,” Williams said “This is a rejection of things that are harming working class Americans and Tucsonans.”

Prop. 422: Reid Park Zoo sales tax

Passing in unofficial results. This measure extends the 0.1% sales tax (1 cent for every $10 spent) for 20 years to help the zoo continue its habitat and facility upgrades. Read more about the zoo’s plans.

Prop. 424: Northwest Fire District bonds

Passing in unofficial results.

Prop. 425: Pima County spending limit

Neck-and-neck in unofficial results for a measure that would increase spending limits for the county government.

Prop. 431: Oro Valley general plan

Passing in unofficial results.

Education questions

Unofficial results show two Pima County school-related bond measures are narrowly passing as of Wednesday night. If they pass, they will raise property taxes to fund Pima Community College and Pima Joint Technical Education District.

Each $250 million bond is a loan that pays for capital expenses — like building renovations, new construction, security systems, etc. and is paid back over time with interest.

Proposition 427, the JTED bond, is a first for the district, which started in 2007. Unofficial results as of Wednesday evening show 51.45% of voters approving the bond, with 48.55% voting no. It will help grow JTED, which serves 30,000 students throughout Southern Arizona.

“We’re encouraged by early results we’re seeing,” Greg D’Anna, JTED director of public relations, told Arizona Luminaria Tuesday night. “It’s still early, but our polls also showed that voters were in favor of expanding our career and technical education programs that serve all students.”

Pima JTED asks Pima County homeowners to pay more in taxes over the next 15 years to mainly expand its central campuses where 3,000 of its 30,000 Southern Arizona high school students are educated in free classes on how to become a birth doula or veterinary technician or a welder and everything in between. JTED also offers free programs at various high schools including automotive, construction and sports medicine.

Proposition 430, the PCC bond, aims to modernize aging Pima Community College facilities and expand workforce training for high-demand, high-wage careers.

Wednesday evening’s unofficial results show 51.29% of voters approving the bond. It could include a new center of excellence for first responders and public safety, new campus police headquarters at the downtown campus, student support and success center renovation, modernizing and expanding academic spaces like cyber/IT, arts, STEM and updating and improving existing infrastructure.

K-12 schools

Four other K-12 local school-related questions were before voters on Tuesday, including questions for Pima County residents in the Amphitheater, Sahuarita, Tanque Verde, and Vail school districts to decide whether to fund schools. 

Here’s where unofficial results stand as of Wednesday night:

Prop. 423: Passing.

This extends Vail Unified School District’s current 12.5% override and does not include a tax rate increase.  The maintenance and operations override, which has been used in this district, one of the fastest growing in the state with 14,000 students, helps pay for music, art, P.E., gifted and advanced courses and 20% of teachers throughout the district.

Prop. 426: Passing.

Amphitheater Public Schools asked voters to approve the sale or long-term lease of six sites as the 133-year-old district attempts to right-size the shrinking district. Amphi closed four elementary schools last spring and has a five-year lease at one of them. It aimed to sell, or lease the other buildings in both Tucson and Oro Valley. Money made on sale or long-term leases could be used for other school sites, construction, transportation or other capital expenses, according to Amphi officials.  

Prop. 428: Narrowly failing.

This proposal was to extend Sahuarita Unified School District’s current 15% override and does not include a tax rate increase. A district taxpayer currently pays about $23 a month on a home with a current average assessed value of $210,790.  The maintenance and operations override for the 11 schools in the district, helps pay for counselors and support staff, athletics and fine arts and security throughout the district.

Prop. 429: Passing.

This extends Tanque Verde Unified School District’s current 15% override and does not include a tax rate increase. A district taxpayer currently pays about $88 for every $100,000 of net assessed property tax valuation. The maintenance and operations override helps pay for teacher salaries, school nurses, smaller class sizes, P.E., libraries and career and technical education. It would generate about $2.3 million for the district’s six schools in the 2027-28 fiscal year, the district says.

Statewide propositions

Republish This Story

Republish our articles for free, online or in print.