Grand Canyon Times

Former Arizona Governor Doug Ducey (R) announced his opposition to Proposition 140, a measure placed on the upcoming November ballot that seeks to implement a California-style election system in Arizona.

“Prop 140 would hand the keys to our elections over to a future Legislature and potentially give a blank check to one partisan politician — the Secretary of State — to determine which candidates advance to the general election,” Ducey said in a press release. “Like many Arizonans, I am open to reforms, but this is a recipe for disaster and unintended consequences. We can do better. Join a bipartisan coalition of Arizonans in voting No on Prop 140.”

If approved, Proposition 140 would introduce 15 amendments to the Arizona state constitution that would alter the election process. Key changes include empowering the Arizona Secretary of State to determine the number of candidates qualifying for the general election ballot in all races, including their own. The proposal could result in general election ballots featuring candidates from only one political party in certain races.

Co-chairs of the No on Prop 140 Committee, Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb and former Arizona Supreme Court Justice Andrew Gould, supported Ducey’s stance.  “Governor Ducey, like many Arizonans of varying political persuasions, realizes the irreversible harms this ballot measure would inflict on our state," they said. "We must not allow Arizona to fall prey to this dangerous election scheme. Vote NO on Prop 140!”

Additionally, the measure would create two distinct voting systems on the same ballot, with some races requiring ranked-choice voting while others would not. Critics warn that this could lead to increased tabulation errors, longer lines at polling places, and delays in election results.

Early voting in Arizona is currently open and runs through November 1. Absentee ballots are accepted back until 7 p.m. on election day. 

Doug Ducey served as the 23rd governor of Arizona. He was first elected in 2014 after former Gov. Jan Brewer (R) became ineligible due to term limits. He ran again in 2018 and successfully earned another four-year term, which meant leaving office in 2022 due to term limits. 

Prior to being governor, Ducey also served as the state treasurer of Arizona. He founded Cold Stone Creamery, an ice cream business based in Scottsdale, Arizona, which has since gone international.

Born in Ohio, Ducey moved to Arizona to attend Arizona State University, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in finance. Ducey currently serves as the CEO of Citizens for Free Enterprise, a PAC dedicated to economic freedom for citizens.