This November, Arizona voters will decide 11 statewide ballot measures — from election rules to school funding to labor law. As someone who tracks the Arizona Legislature and ballot process for a living, I put together this one-page reference to help cut through the noise: what each measure actually does, in plain language, with no advocacy for or against any of them. Whether you’re a business owner, a colleague, or just a fellow Arizonan trying to figure out what’s on your ballot, I hope it’s useful. Click here to download the 2026 Ballot Measures Guide (PDF)
Legislative Referrals — Passed in the 2025 Regular Session (3 measures)
HCR2021 — Cap Municipal Grocery Tax at 2%
Summary: Caps existing city/town grocery taxes at 2% and requires voter approval before any city can raise a food tax above that level.
HCR2055 — Designate Drug Cartels as Terrorist Organizations
Summary: Directs the state to formally designate drug cartels as terrorist organizations and respond using available state enforcement tools.
SCR1004 (2025) — Prohibit Mileage-Based Taxes and Tracking
Summary: Constitutional amendment barring state and local governments from imposing a tax or fee based on vehicle miles traveled, or enacting rules to monitor or limit vehicle miles traveled without the driver’s voluntary consent.
Legislative Referrals — Passed in the 2026 Regular Session (7 measures)
HCR2001 — FAST Election Results Act
Summary: Constitutional amendment elevating existing statutory citizenship-to-vote requirements into the Arizona Constitution, banning foreign contributions to influence elections, requiring government-issued ID for all voting methods including mail, and guaranteeing voters the option to have ballots tabulated at their voting location.
HCR2003 — Require Sex-Based Designation of School Athletic Teams and Facilities
Summary: Statutory measure requiring K-12 and higher-education athletic teams to be designated male, female, or coeducational based on biological sex, barring male athletes from female-designated teams, and restricting locker room, restroom, and shower access to the space designated for an individual’s sex.
HCR2040 — Restrict School District Labor Organization Activity
Summary: Constitutional amendment prohibiting school districts from using public funds or resources to support labor organizations and barring the state or political subdivisions from entering collective bargaining agreements on school district employees’ behalf, with disputed scope over whether the broader prohibition could extend to other public-sector unions.
HCR2044 — Prohibit Race- or Ethnicity-Based Preferential Treatment
Summary: Constitutional amendment prohibiting the state from compelling or spending public funds on promoting, giving preferential treatment to, or discriminating against any individual on the basis of race or ethnicity, including in public education, employment, and contracting.
HCR2048 — Military Family ESA / Empowerment Scholarship Protection Act
Summary: Constitutional amendment barring confiscation of Empowerment Scholarship Account funds from military families, while also voiding any conflicting voter-approved measure passed after November 1.
SCR1004 (2026) — Require Voter Approval for Photo Enforcement Cameras
Summary: Statutory measure requiring cities to get voter approval to keep operating photo-radar/red-light camera systems, with mandatory revotes every 10 years.
SCR1032 — Mandate 60% Instructional Spending for Large School Districts
Summary: Statutory measure requiring school districts with at least 7,500 students, or that operate in a county with a population of at least 500,000, to spend at least 60% of operational spending on direct instruction, with escalating reductions to a district’s Classroom Site Fund allocation for continued noncompliance.
Citizen Initiative — Expected to Qualify (1 measure)
Empowerment Scholarship Account Reform Initiative
Summary: Statutory initiative adding an income cap and stricter oversight (background checks, vendor registration, testing requirements) to the Empowerment Scholarship Account voucher program.
Note: Several of these measures face pending or anticipated legal challenges that could affect their final ballot status. This resource reflects information publicly available as of July 7, 2026, and will be updated as developments warrant.
Questions about how these measures may affect your business or organization?
Chad Heinrich, Managing Partner, Heinrich Public Affairs
Mobile: (602) 527-5463 | Email: ch@chadheinrich.com | Web: www.chadheinrich.com