What’s on ballot for Maricopa voters?

City issues, funding for schools among measures

It’s Election Day in Arizona, as more than half of the voters in Maricopa County will decide on millions in funding requests for cities and school districts.

Some 20 school districts seek bonds or override funding. Scottsdale voters will weigh in on a general plan to guide growth. Chandler and Gilbert voters will have their say on bond requests, and Surprise voters are asked to extend the city’s partnership with Epcor, a private water company. Gilbert voters also will decide on a franchise extension with Southwest Gas.

Most Arizona counties, including the most populous Maricopa County, hold off-cycle elections by mail. Ballots were mailed to every registered voter in the 25 jurisdictions with elections in Maricopa County. Voting began in early October and concludes at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Voters who haven’t already returned their ballot in the mail can drop it off or get a replacement ballot at vote centers listed at locations.maricopa.vote.

Maricopa County election officials expect to post early results shortly after 8 p.m. Those results will include ballots returned prior to Election Day. Election officials expect to release more results throughout the week from the ballots dropped off on Election Day.

Here’s a look at ballot measures in metro Phoenix.

Chandler and Gilbert bond requests

Chandler residents will vote on the first bond in 14 years for the suburb southeast of Phoenix.

The nearly $272.7 million bond will fund dozens of infrastructure improvements in the coming decade.

In neighboring Gilbert, voters will de

cide on a half-billion-dollar request for transportation and streets in the rapidly growing town of some 270,000 residents.

Gilbert residents also will decide whether to extend the town franchise for utility Southwest Gas. Its current franchise, which allows it to operate in Gilbert, began in 1997 and is set to expire in 2022. If approved, the franchise will be extended from 2022 to 2047.

Scottsdale could see new general plan

Scottsdale residents will vote on an updated general plan to guide development, from the type of developments desired to transportation.

State law requires cities to update these plans every 10 years, but Scottsdale is still operating under its 2001 plan. Voters in 2012 narrowly shot down a proposed update.

Surprise partnership with Epcor

Surprise residents will decide whether Epcor, the state’s largest private water company, will continue to provide water and wastewater services in the northwest Valley suburb.

The company’s agreement in Surprise started in 1995 and ended in 2020, though it contained a provision that would allow it to operate in Surprise until the 2021 election.

Epcor serves nearly 34,000 customers in Surprise, a large share of the city of more than 141,000.

21 school funding requests

Voters in 21 school districts across the Valley are asked to vote primarily on funding requests.

Most of the requests are in the form of bonds for long-term projects such as school construction and overrides, which help pay for operational and maintenance expenses.