By Howard Fischer
Mail | X: @azcapmedia

PHOENIX — Arizonans will get to decide if they want to scrap partisan primaries.

In a brief order Friday, the Arizona Supreme Court refused to block election officials from counting the votes for and against Proposition 140.

The measure already is on ballots printed weeks ago and that go out this coming Wednesday. That occurred because of printing deadlines — and despite the fact there was not yet a final decision on whether there were enough valid signatures on petitions.

Foes of the initiative argued that should not end it. They sought an order to keep the votes from being tallied.

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Frank Moskowitz refused, citing a series of reasons that was not an option. That sent the case to the state's high court.

Chief Justice Ann Scott Timmer said the court reviewed the arguments and concluded Moskowitz is correct.

But Arizonans will need to wait to find out which of the three theories cited by the trial judge the justices found correct.

The measure, if approved, would outlaw state funding for partisan primaries where each party gets to nominate candidates for various offices.

In its place would be a single primary where all candidates from all parties — or no party at all — run against each other. And all voters could participate regardless of political affiliation.

Then the top two vote-getters, regardless of party, would advance to the general election.

But it also would allow the Legislature to permit up to five candidates to be on the ballot. And in that case, the initiative would require use of a ranked-choice system where voters rate their candidates in order of preference and multiple rounds of counting could be needed before someone gets to the required 50%.