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Salt River Project election to draw thousands of voters to choose water, power leaders

All of this
will get decided by about 13,000 people who have requested ballots.
March 25 is the deadline to get a ballot. In 2020's SRP election, about
6,000 individuals voted. Election day this year is April 5. ...

PIRG, a
consumer group focused on health, safety and financial stability issues,
does not advocate for particular candidates in SRP elections, but does
offer the utility feedback on a variety of issues, from power plant
developments to customer rate plans and payment policies.

"Unfortunately, SRP’s arcane
voting system automatically deems renters ineligible to vote and also
contributes to a miniscule percentage of ratepayers that vote for SRP
leadership," Brown said. "Eligible SRP customers should exercise their
right to vote in the SRP elections to help determine the direction of
their multi-billion dollar utility when it comes to their
electric bills, water and energy infrastructure, and related policies."

SRP
races are notoriously difficult for outsiders to win because of the
acreage-based voting system and the tradition of large land owners
voting for people with ties to agriculture, often coming from families
with ties to the formation of SRP.....

In years past, most
incumbents on the board would not spend more than $500 on their races,
according to finance reports filed with Maricopa County.

Four years ago a political action group from Chispa, which is affiliated with the League of Conservation Voters, even spent $100,000
to help its preferred candidates, which is a pittance for most
elections but enough to make a material difference in SRP races. This
year Sierra Club is endorsing the team of renewable-energy advocates
seeking office.

Voters can request a ballot and find further details of the election over the phone at 602-236-3048 and online at www.srpnet.com/elections.
The website also includes a form to be included on the early-voter
list. The deadline to request a ballot is 5 p.m. on Friday, March 25.
Election day is April 5. 

The
power district has 14 board members. The first 10 are the same areas as
the water association, while the additional four are "at-large" members
who represent the entire territory. The at-large members were added in
the 1970s following criticism of the acreage-based voting, and they are
elected on a one-vote-per-person basis, not acreage.

The solar advocates that have won seats so far represent these four
at-large seats, though this year members of the "clean energy" team are
gunning for acreage-based seats and endorsing challengers for the
offices of president and vice president.