Important decisions at the local level in Arizona are being made in off-cycle elections with low voter turnout, according to a new report.
The Goldwater Institute released a report showing that off-cycle elections, which occur in odd-numbered years, have much lower voter turnout than on-cycle elections, which happen during even-numbered years.
The report showed recent off-cycle elections in Arizona’s 10 largest cities have had an average voter participation rate of 26.9%, compared to 71.5% in recent on-cycle elections. This represents a nearly 45% difference.
Henry Thomson, an Arizona State University associate professor, told The Center Square that Arizona has a major problem with low voter turnout in off-cycle elections.
Thomson, who authored the report, said a small number of voters are making “really big decisions” for local governments that “really matter to people’s lives.”
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