Ariz. Rev. Stat. » Title 19
Arizona Revised Statutes

Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 19-143 (2026)

Initiative petition in cities; action of council; amendment of charter

✓ current as of May 2026
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A. The whole number of votes cast at the city or town election at which a mayor or councilman was chosen last preceding the submission of the application for an initiative petition is the basis for computing the number of qualified electors of the city or town required to sign the petition unless the city or town by charter or ordinance provides an alternative basis for computing the number of necessary signatures.

B. If an ordinance, charter or amendment to the charter of a city or town is proposed by initiative petition, it shall be filed with the city or town clerk, who shall submit it to the voters of the city or town at the next ensuing election. The council may enact the ordinance or amendment and refer it to the people or it may enact the ordinance or amendment without referring it to the people, and in that case it is subject to referendum petition as other ordinances. The mayor shall not have power to veto either of such measures.

C. Amendments to a city or town charter may be proposed and submitted to the people by the council, with or without an initiative petition, but they shall be filed with the clerk for submission not less than sixty days before the election at which they are to be voted upon, and no amendment of a charter shall be effective until it is approved by a majority of the votes cast thereon by the people of the city or town to which it applies. The council may by ordinance order special elections to vote on municipal measures.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 9 cases, 1968–2019 · leading case: City of Flagstaff v. Mangum, 793 P.2d 548 (Ariz. 1990).
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City of Flagstaff v. Mangum, 793 P.2d 548 (Ariz. 1990). · cites it 22× “” On November 21, 1989, Citizens tendered the petition to the city clerk for filing and for presentation to the city council pursuant to A.R.S. § 19-143. The city clerk refused to accept and file the petition, stating that the petition was not timely as an initiative petition…”
Jones v. Paniagua, 212 P.3d 133 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2009). · cites it 6× “Initially, this argument ignores A.R.S. § 19-143(A) (2002), which provides that as to initiatives a city may use alternative means of computing the required number of signatures other than the statutory requirement that the number of signatures has to be based on the “last…”
Homebuilders Ass'n of Cent. Arizona v. City of Scottsdale, 925 P.2d 1359 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1996). · cites it 10× “The whole number of votes cast at the city or town election at which a mayor or councilmen were chosen last preceding the filing -of submission of the application for a referendum petition against an ordinance, franchise or resolution shall be the basis on which the number of…”
Ariz. Chapter of the Associated Gen. Contractors of Am. v. City of Phx., 445 P.3d 2 (Ariz. 2019). · cites it 2× “" To do so, BBP filed an application in September 2018 with the City Clerk of the City of Phoenix, see A.R.S. § 19-143(B), seeking placement of the "Building a Better Phoenix Act" initiative measure (the "Initiative") on the August 2019 special election ballot.”
City of Scottsdale v. Superior Court, 439 P.2d 290 (Ariz. 1968). · cites it 4× “A relates specifically to the filing of a referendum by the people (as opposed to a voluntary referral by the council) ; A.R.S. § 19-143, subsec. A deals with municipal measures proposed by initiative petition, and A.”
Fleischman v. Protect Our City, 153 P.3d 1035 (Ariz. 2007). · cites it 2× “1, § 1(8) (signatures from fifteen percent of the qualified electors of the city are needed to propose an initiative); see also A.R.S. § 19-143(A) (2002) (number of signatures from qualified electors is calculated based on number of votes cast at last preceding election for…”
Hancock v. McCarroll, 937 P.2d 682 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1996). · cites it 2× “1, § 1(4); A.R.S. § 19-143 (Supp.1996). Additionally, the County Board’s resolution creating the District could have been referred to the people by referendum petition filed within 30 days after passage of the resolution.”
Sherman v. City of Tempe, 24 P.3d 1285 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2001). · cites it 3× “section 19-143 expressly provides for the referral or submission to the people of amendments to a city’s charter.”
Cuvelier v. Schmitz, 974 P.2d 995 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1999). · cites it 6× “Section 19-143(0), A.R.S., provides: Amendments to a city or town charter may be proposed and submitted to the people by the council, with or without an initiative petition, but they shall be filed with the clerk for submission not less than sixty days before the election at…”
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 19-143(0) — 1 case
Cuvelier v. Schmitz, 974 P.2d 995 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1999). “Section 19-143(0), A.R.S., provides: Amendments to a city or town charter may be proposed and submitted to the people by the council, with or without an initiative petition, but they shall be filed with the clerk for submission not less than sixty days before the election at…”
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 19-143(A) — 5 cases
City of Flagstaff v. Mangum, 793 P.2d 548 (Ariz. 1990). “” On November 21, 1989, Citizens tendered the petition to the city clerk for filing and for presentation to the city council pursuant to A.R.S. § 19-143. The city clerk refused to accept and file the petition, stating that the petition was not timely as an initiative petition…”
Jones v. Paniagua, 212 P.3d 133 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2009). “Initially, this argument ignores A.R.S. § 19-143(A) (2002), which provides that as to initiatives a city may use alternative means of computing the required number of signatures other than the statutory requirement that the number of signatures has to be based on the “last…”
Homebuilders Ass'n of Cent. Arizona v. City of Scottsdale, 925 P.2d 1359 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1996). “The whole number of votes cast at the city or town election at which a mayor or councilmen were chosen last preceding the filing -of submission of the application for a referendum petition against an ordinance, franchise or resolution shall be the basis on which the number of…”
Fleischman v. Protect Our City, 153 P.3d 1035 (Ariz. 2007). “1, § 1(8) (signatures from fifteen percent of the qualified electors of the city are needed to propose an initiative); see also A.R.S. § 19-143(A) (2002) (number of signatures from qualified electors is calculated based on number of votes cast at last preceding election for…”
Cuvelier v. Schmitz, 974 P.2d 995 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1999). “Section 19-143(0), A.R.S., provides: Amendments to a city or town charter may be proposed and submitted to the people by the council, with or without an initiative petition, but they shall be filed with the clerk for submission not less than sixty days before the election at…”
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 19-143(B) — 2 cases
Ariz. Chapter of the Associated Gen. Contractors of Am. v. City of Phx., 445 P.3d 2 (Ariz. 2019). “" To do so, BBP filed an application in September 2018 with the City Clerk of the City of Phoenix, see A.R.S. § 19-143(B), seeking placement of the "Building a Better Phoenix Act" initiative measure (the "Initiative") on the August 2019 special election ballot.”
Cuvelier v. Schmitz, 974 P.2d 995 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1999). “Section 19-143(0), A.R.S., provides: Amendments to a city or town charter may be proposed and submitted to the people by the council, with or without an initiative petition, but they shall be filed with the clerk for submission not less than sixty days before the election at…”
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 19-143(C) — 1 case
Sherman v. City of Tempe, 24 P.3d 1285 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2001). “section 19-143 expressly provides for the referral or submission to the people of amendments to a city’s charter.”
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