This November, Arizonans will decide on a ballot initiative that would require donors to political campaigns to disclose the original source of the money, if the donation goes above a certain threshold. There are ten statewide ballot measures on the Arizona ballot.
The campaign finance initiative, if approved by voters, would require that anyone making independent expenditures of more than $50,000 on a statewide campaign or $25,000 on a local campaign disclose the names of the money’s original sources. The original source would be defined as the person or business who earned the money that was contributed, either through personal funds, business income, or any other form of income.
Certification of the initiative followed a legal challenge before the Arizona Supreme Court. The legal challenge dealt with the affidavit requirements of signature gatherers, as well as whether or not the petitioner’s registration must include the full address, including the unit number of an apartment or hotel. On Aug. 25, the Arizona Supreme Court rejected the arguments cited in the lawsuit.
