David Schweikert, U.S. representative and candidate for Arizona Governor

Stacey Pearson, co founder of Lumen Strategies

Will you get to decide if firing squads will be part of a list prisoners can choose from when they’re executed in Arizona? How do you feel about mail-in voting? Would you vote by mail to enshrine into the Arizona constitution the right to vote by mail?   Those are just a couple of the dozens of examples of what you could be voting on this year. That’s because Arizona is one of a handful of states where you get to be a quasi-legislator and partake in direct democracy by creating (or rejecting) laws in the voting booth.    On this week’s AZ Political Podcast, I get to talk with political consultant Stacy Pearson of Lumen Strategies not only about the ballot measures you could see this fall, but also the four types of ways they end up on ballots: two that are initiated by citizens and two that are referred by the Legislature to voters.    Stacy’s firm is engaged in trying to get an initiative called the “Constitutional Right to Early and Mail-in Voting Amendment” on Arizona’s ballot and there are some big hurdles to get there: State law requires that almost 384,000 signatures need to be gathered (and tens of thousands of extras to make up for those ineligible to sign) and submitted by July 2. And there are potential legal challenges to the signatures as well as challenges to the wording of the initiative.   Whew! It takes a lot of initiative to get an initiative in front of voters.   We also discuss what happens when two opposing ballot measures pass; how it’s possible for two similar ballot measures to split the vote and both fail; and the electoral track record of ballot measures.    Initiatives and referendums make for fascinating politics because it’s voters making government “of the people” and “by the people” by bringing “power to the people” to create law.

Daniel Keenan, Republican candidate for Arizona's 5th Congressional District (CD-5)

For Republicans. Daniel Keenan is the "Mark Lamb alternative" in Arizona's 5th Congressional District. Keenan joins Jim Sharpe for the AZ Political Podcast where they discuss his reasoning to run for office, his background, and the recent Mark Lamb controversy.

Andy Biggs, US representative and candidate for AZ Governor

Do Andy Biggs' connections in Washington and Mexico make him a good candidate for Arizona's top job? Joining the AZ Political Podcast is Rep Andy Biggs who says he will use these connections to improve relations with our southern neighbor.

Chuck Coughlin, president and CEO of High Ground Consulting

Will Arizona's 1st congressional district seat flip democratic in the July 21 primary? Chuck Coughlin joins the AZ Political Podcast with Jim Sharpe to discuss what he says will be a very interesting race.

John Trobough, candidate for Arizona's 1st congressional district

Technology executive John Trobough joins The AZ Political Podcast with Jim Sharpe to discuss his run for Congress in Arizona's 1st District. He breaks down his views on artificial intelligence, data privacy, and how he plans to apply his tech background to legislation on Capitol Hill.