Arizona Watcher
Tempe councilman Randy Keating asked the Arizona Supreme Court to remove Proposition 144 from the fall ballot, arguing the measure illegally bundles multiple, distinct election changes into a single up-or-down proposition.
Keating’s filing, submitted by attorney Daniel Arellano, highlights a provision requiring proof of identification from every voter, including those voting by mail, and says each element may be valid on its own but cannot be combined.
Arellano argued provisions such as barring foreign nationals from spending to influence Arizona elections have no logical relationship to rules about ballot counting, so bundling them violates the constitution’s separate-amendment rule.
Opponents, including counsel for top Republican legislative leaders, counter that every provision relates to a single theme—election integrity—and that the constitution allows combining constitutionally consistent provisions with a common purpose.
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Adele Ponce ruled on July 27, 2026 that the provisions are 'topically related' and allowed Proposition 144 to remain on the November ballot; Keating appealed that decision to the Arizona Supreme Court.
The proposed amendment includes restating that only U.S. citizens may vote, banning foreign-nationals from spending to influence elections, requiring government ID for all voting methods, immediate tabulation for day-of drop-offs with ID, and a 'rational connection' test for…
Keating’s attorneys say bundling forces voters to accept provisions they oppose and ask the Supreme Court to require separate votes; supporters maintain the measure’s parts are sufficiently related and lawful to present together.
A conservative legal group separately sued Secretary of State Adrian Fontes this week, accusing him of using biased and misleading language in the official ballot explanation and opening another legal front in disputes over Proposition 144 ahead of November.
Tempe councilman Randy Keating has asked the Arizona Supreme Court to remove Proposition 144 from the fall ballot, arguing the measure improperly combines several distinct election changes into a single up-or-down vote. Supporters of the proposal say the provisions are tied…