FAQ

Arizona’s state legislature is made up of two houses, the State House and the State Senate, representing 30 districts, 20 of which are in Maricopa County. Each district is represented by two House representatives and one State Senator. The legislature meets from January - May each year. All AZ legislators serve two-year terms and are term limited to 4 terms (8 years) in one chamber. Members of both chambers may serve their term limit in one chamber and then run for a seat in the other.

Our Legislative District (LD3) spans north and northeastern Maricopa County, from the Anthem/New River area, across Desert Hills, Cave Creek, and Carefree, to include north Phoenix, north Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, the Ft. McDowell Yavapai Nation and Rio Verde. It continues east to include Tortilla Flat, in which six Arizona voters reside.

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Arizona has nine Congressional Districts. LD3 spans two Congressional Districts, CD-1 and CD-8. Want to know which Congressional district you’re in? Use the District Locator.

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LD3 Dems is an independent arm of the Maricopa County Democratic Party organization, with our own leadership team, funds, and goals. It’s our job to connect with voters across our legislative district (LD) to make sure everyone is informed about important issues and prepared to support candidates we endorse. We are also the local ground game in election years.

Every registered Democrat in our district is a member of the Democratic Party and of LD3 Dems. There are no dues, fees, or forms to fill out. In addition, we have positions, called Precinct Committee People, (PCs) who elect party leadership and decide other important issues to the Party. Becoming a PC is where to start if you want to get formally involved in the Democratic Party. 

Precincts are the building blocks of every type of district, from school board and city council to the State Legislature and US Congress. Your precinct is your neighborhood - and it determines where your polling place is and who is on your ballot. LD3 is made up of 58 precincts. Each precinct is assigned a quota of appointed and elected officials (Precinct Committee People) to represent the voters from their respective parties. Learn what precinct you are in here.

LD3 includes five unified school districts: Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, and Cave Creek, as well as parts of Deer Valley and Paradise Valley. All school board elections are non-partisan and board members are elected to four-year terms. There are no term limits.

Arizona has been dominated by Republicans since approximately 1965. But Democrats began winning important county and state races in 2016: County Sheriff, County Recorder, Secretary of State, and State Superintendent of Public Instruction. This was followed by two Democratic US Senators and President Biden in 2020.

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Despite these impressive wins and significant gains in Democratic registration, LD3 remains a red district. But our voices - and votes - in LD3 are important, and our commitment to informing voters to vote the entire ballot can help ensure Democrats are elected to federal, state, and county positions, as well to important local races like town councils and school boards.

Initiatives and referenda are enshrined in Arizona’s state constitution and were part of the document at the state’s founding in 1912. The first initiative in the state was for women’s suffrage. It passed on November 5, 1912 by a margin greater than 2 to 1. Citizen petitions are a constitutional guarantee.

These and referenda can only be withdrawn through a subsequent voter
action. Neither the governor nor the legislature may repeal an initiative passed by voters; any amendments they wish to make must further the will and intent of the voters. Because of these limits to their power, the legislature often tries to pass restrictions on the petitioning process to make it more difficult to get citizen initiatives on the ballot.

The number of valid signatures required to get an an individual citizen initiative before the voters, is determined by the jurisdiction covered and the number of votes cast in a preceding general election in that jurisdiction.

Local initiatives require fewer signatures (generally in the tens of thousands) than statewide referenda. Statewide initiatives require the largest number of valid signatures - often in the hundreds of thousands.
 

Being a petition circulator can be a great way to hone your canvassing skills. It gets you used to approaching strangers, initiating conversations and talking about issues that are important to you. So, if you have the chance, circulate petitions for a cause that inspires you. It is a great way to become an effective activist.

There are two very simple things you can do now to make a difference. One - subscribe to receive the LD3 Dems newsletter. This weekly newsletter will inform you about upcoming volunteer opportunities and events. Two - please donate. Even small donations add up to make a huge difference, and we are 100% community-funded! If you want to get more involved, please visit the volunteer page and complete the interest form. We are looking forward to helping connect you to the role that best fits your talents and availability!