Arizona Republicans Bypassed the Governor Using Ballot Referrals
Arizona’s Republican-controlled legislature adjourned its 2026 session at 4:45 a.m. On June 14, after spending its final day reviving legislation that had previously died or been voted down and sending it directly to November voters as ballot referrals. The maneuver bypasses Gov. Katie Hobbs entirely. Unlike regular bills, which require the governor’s signature, ballot referrals need only a majority vote in both chambers to appear on the statewide ballot.
Republicans used this procedure because they know Hobbs would veto the underlying policies. The session’s final day included measures that would amend state statute or the Arizona Constitution itself, locking in conservative policy outcomes if voters approve them regardless of who holds the governorship.
“We knew this was going to happen, and here we are, bringing all the bills that never made it, or either died, and then they came back to life, and then we’re here at 3:36 a.m. Passing bills that the governor has no ability to veto.”
Rep. Alma Hernandez (D-Tucson), Arizona House of Representatives, June 14, 2026
A 152-Day Session Ended With Partisan Votes After a Bipartisan Budget
The legislature’s final day, the 152nd of the session, came just one day after Republicans and Democrats cooperated to pass the annual state budget. That bipartisan moment did not hold. Democrats, including Rep. Hernandez, say they made a tactical error by supporting the budget without extracting a commitment from Republicans to end the session immediately after the budget vote. That gap gave Republicans room to schedule additional votes stretching past midnight.
Senate President Warren Petersen barred a group of school teachers from the public gallery during the session, citing what he described as disorderly conduct. On the House floor, Republican Rep. Neal Carter reportedly screamed at House Minority Leader Oscar De Los Santos; De Los Santos accused Carter of attempting to start a physical altercation. All ballot referrals passed along party lines.
Voucher Protections and More Could Be Locked Into the Arizona Constitution
Among the policies Republicans moved through the late-night session were measures related to school voucher programs, which Hobbs has worked to reform. If voters approve those referrals in November, the policies could become embedded in state statute or the Arizona Constitution, making them substantially harder for future legislatures or governors to change. Arizonans will not know the full ballot until the Arizona Secretary of State certifies measures ahead of the November 2026 election.
What You Can Do Now
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Contact your Arizona state representative and senator. Tell them you oppose using late-night ballot referrals to circumvent the governor’s veto on education and voucher policy. Find your legislators at azleg.gov/find-my-legislator.
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Register to vote or verify your registration before the November 2026 deadline. Arizona’s voter registration deadline is 29 days before the election. Confirm your status at servicearizona.com/voterRegistration and make sure your address is current.
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Track the November 2026 ballot measures. The Arizona Secretary of State publishes the official ballot measure list at azsos.gov/elections. Check back after certification to read the full text of what Republicans passed.
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Contact the Arizona Governor’s office at (602) 542-4331 and ask Gov. Hobbs to publicly name every ballot referral passed in the late-night session and state her position on each one before the November election. Voters need that information before they cast ballots.
Sources
Arizona Legislature: How Ballot Referrals and Referendums Work in Arizona
Arizona Secretary of State: Elections and Voter Registration
Brennan Center for Justice: How State Legislatures Use Ballot Measures to Circumvent Governors
Arizona Mirror: Arizona’s School Voucher Program and Efforts to Reform It