SRP counts vote two different ways
Today, in my weekly effort to demystify another one of SRP’s quirky voting rules, I want to explain why SRP counts some votes one way and others a completely different way.
Say What?
If you own property in any one of the 10 SRP voting districts, your vote is counted on an acre voting system. One acre = one vote. If two people own a home together, they split the vote. So both people need to register.
However, for the 4 at-large seats, votes are counted as one property owner, one vote. So, if two people own a home together, it is even more important that both people register and vote.
If your home is in a trust, the trust votes as one entity. One vote.
I cover that on this page.
To add complexity to this —because SRP excels at that— we are only voting for the even-numbered districts, plus two of the four at-large seats, plus the president in this April’s election.
But, don’t despair. If you live in an odd-numbered district, you can still vote for the at-large candidates and president.
You follow? It took me a few times for these rules to stick in my brain parts. So, I’m sure you will retain it faster.
Wanna see where you stand? First, follow this link to see if your property(ies) are in SRP votable lands. Second, register that (or those) properties to vote at this link.
Once you are registered, you stay registered until your property ownership changes.
Why?
There is an historical reason for this. There was a huge debate in the 1970s about whether SRP should adhere to the US constitution’s requirement of one person, one vote.
It got so heated that it resulted in 1981 Supreme Court case called Ball vs. James, in which the SCOTUS sided with SRP and against one person one vote.
In 1977, seeing the public discomfort with this issue the Arizona Legislature changed the Arizona Revised Statute which created the electric side of SRP’s business so that there would be four at-large seats that would be voted on as one property owner, one vote, rather than an acre-vote system.
I covered all of it in a Substack article I wrote in May called “Party like it’s 1215 AD.”
If you get the reference, you get a gold star on the refrigerator of life.
This is a great read, especially if you happen to be avoiding conversations with some of your relatives after Thanksgiving dinner.
Source: Library of Congress