The 1962 Election in Arizona

Abstract

N A STATE where rapid change is the rule an indication of long-range political trends is more important than analysis of specific election results. William Strauss' evaluation of Arizona politics which appeared in this Quarterly is pertinent to an appraisal of the state's political future., Despite Republican successes in national and statewide races in 1960, Strauss contended that Arizona was still primarily a one-party state. He based this conclusion on the number of races, particularly at the state and local levels, left uncontested by Republicans; registration statistics; and the minority status of Republican state legislators. Strauss did concede that all of this could change; hence, Arizona could become a two-party state. The situation has been changing for some time. Arizona is on the verge of developing a viable two-party system, particularly in the state's two population centers. In this past election, Republicans left few races in Maricopa (Phoenix) and Pima (Tucson) counties uncontested. These counties comprise approximately 75 per cent of the total population. The Republicans offered candidates in each of the forty state legislative districts in Maricopa and the seventeen in Pima, while the Democrats failed to contest two seats in each county. In the ten major county races in Maricopa, Republicans vied for all but two while the Democrats failed to contest one. The Republicans presented only four candidates for these same positions in Pima while Democrats ran nine. In the eight statewide and four national contests the Republicans offered ten candidates. Certainly, in the major population centers and in the important national and statewide races, the Republicans found people willing to run. In many of the county races, primarily in Maricopa, in which Republicans were defeated, prospects for Republican victories in the not-too-distant future are quite favorable. Republican candidates are still hard to find in the other twelve counties. But it must be remembered that these counties have only about 25 per cent of the state's population. They elect only twenty-three of the eighty members to the lower house of the state legislature. Republicans were able to elect this same number of representatives in Maricopa which was four more than in 1960, to add seven from Pima which was the same number elected in 1960, and to pick up two in the other twelve counties. Consequently, Republicans have thirty-two of the eighty House seats. Republicans did not fare nearly so well in the state Senate which has two senators from each county. They elected one senator in each of four counties: Maricopa, Pima, Apache, and Yavapai. In the two population centers the defeated Republican senatorial candidates were within 3 per cent of their Democratic rivals. The dwindling registration advantage held by the Democrats is another sign that a two-party system is rapidly developing. In 1940, the Democrats held 87.1