Arizona Senate
Coordinates: 33°26′53″N 112°5′45″W / 33.44806°N 112.09583°W
| Arizona State Senate | |
|---|---|
| Arizona Legislature | |
| Type | |
| Type | Upper house |
| Term limits | 4 terms (8 years) |
| New session started | January 10, 2011 |
| Leadership | |
| President of the Senate | Russell Pearce, (R) since January 10, 2011 |
| President pro Tempore | Sylvia Allen, (R) since January 10, 2011 |
| Majority Leader | Scott Bundgaard, (R) since January 10, 2011 |
| Minority Leader | David Schapira, (D) since January 10, 2011 |
| Structure | |
| Members | 30 |
| Political groups | Republican Party (21) Democratic Party (9) |
| Length of term | 2 years |
| Authority | Article 4, Arizona Constitution |
| Salary | $24,000/year + per diem |
| Elections | |
| Last election | November 2, 2010 (30 seats) |
| Next election | November 6, 2012 (30 seats) |
| Redistricting | Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission |
| Meeting place | |
| State Senate Chamber Arizona State Capitol Phoenix, Arizona |
|
| Website | |
| Arizona State Senate |
The Arizona Senate is part of the Arizona Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Arizona. The Senate consists of 30 members representing an equal amount of constituencies across the state, with each district having average populations of 219,859 (2009 figures). Members serve two-year terms with term limits, limiting Senators to four terms (a total of eight years). Members of the Republican Party are currently in the majority in the Senate.
As with the Arizona House of Representatives, members to the Senate are elected from the same legislative districts as House members, however one Senator represents the constituency, while for the House there are two Representatives per district. This districting system is similar to those of the Idaho and Washington State Senate. In political science, this type of legislative district is called a multi-member district.
Like other upper houses of state and territorial legislatures and the federal U.S. Senate, the Senate can confirm or reject gubernatorial appointments to the state cabinet, commissions and boards.
The Senate convenes in the adjacent legislative chambers at the Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix.
Contents |
[edit] Leadership of the Senate
Arizona, along with Oregon, Maine and Wyoming, is one of the four U.S. states to have abolished the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, the nominal senate president in many states. As a result, the Senate elects its own presiding officer, the President of the Senate, who presides over the body, appoints members to all of the Senate's committees and to joint committees, and may create other committees and subcommittees if desired. The Senate President also appoints a President pro tempore, who serves for the duration of a session of the legislature, to preside in his absence, and may appoint a temporary President pro tempore in the absence of the President and President pro tempore.[1]
The current President of the Senate is Republican Russell Pearce of District 18 (Mesa). The Senate Majority Leader was Scott Bundgaard of District 4 (Phoenix), but is now vacant after Bundgaard was ousted following a personal scandal. The Senate Minority Leader is David Schapira of District 17 (Tempe).
[edit] Leadership information
| Position | Name | Party | Residence | District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| President of the Senate | Russell Pearce | Republican | Mesa | District 18 |
| President pro tempore | Sylvia Tenney Allen | Republican | Snowflake | District 5 |
| Majority Leader | TBD (Formerly Scott Bundgaard) | Republican | Phoenix | District 4 |
| Majority Whip | Steve Pierce | Republican | Prescott | District 1 |
| Minority Leader | David Schapira | Democratic | Tempe | District 17 |
| Assistant Minority Leader | Leah Landrum Taylor | Democratic | Phoenix | District 16 |
| Minority Whip | Paula Aboud | Democratic | Tucson | District 28 |
[edit] Current composition
| Affiliation | Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Democratic | Vacant | ||
| End of previous legislature | 21 | 9 | 30 | 1 |
| Begin | 21 | 9 | 30 | 0 |
| Latest voting share | 70.0% | 30.0% |
[edit] Current members, 2011-2013
| District | Senator | Party | Term-limited |
| 1 - Prescott - Coconino County | Steve Pierce | Rep | 2016 |
| 2 - Flagstaff - Navajo & Apache Cties | Jack Jackson | Dem | 2018 |
| 3 - Mohave County - La Paz County N. | Ron Gould | Rep | 2012 |
| 4 - Yavapai Cty South - Maricopa Cty N. | Scott Bundgaard | Rep | 2018 |
| 5 - Gila County - Snowflake | Sylvia Tenney Allen | Rep | 2016 |
| 6 - Phoenix North - Cave Creek | Lori Klein | Rep | 2018 |
| 7 - Phoenix Nth-Nth-East - Carefree | Nancy Barto | Rep | 2018 |
| 8 - Phoenix North-East - Scottsdale | Michelle Reagan | Rep | 2018 |
| 9 - Phoenix N-W. - Sun City - Peoria | Rick Murphy | Rep | 2018 |
| 10 - Phoenix North Central - Glendale | Linda Gray | Rep | 2012 |
| 11 - Phoenix East - Paradise Valley | Adam Driggs | Rep | 2018 |
| 12 - Phoenix West - Litchfield Park | John Nelson | Rep | 2018 |
| 13 - Phoenix South-West - Tolleson | Steve Gallardo | Dem | 2018 |
| 14 - Phoenix South Central | Robert Meza | Dem | 2018 |
| 15 - Phoenix South-East Central | Kyrsten Sinema | Dem | 2018 |
| 16 - Phoenix South - Guadalupe | Leah Landrum Taylor | Dem | 2014 |
| 17 - Phoenix South-East - Tempe | David Schapira | Dem | 2018 |
| 18 - Mesa West (Sth-East out Phoenix) | Russell Pearce | Rep | 2016 |
| 19 - Mesa East (Sth-East out Phoenix) | Rich Crandall | Rep | 2018 |
| 20 - Phoenix South - Chandler West | John McComish | Rep | 2018 |
| 21 - Chandler - Queen Creek (S-E Phoen.) | Steve Yarbrough | Rep | 2018 |
| 22 - Gilbert - Mesa South - Gold Camp (Gold Canyon) | Andy Biggs | Rep | 2018 |
| 23 - Pinal County | Steve Smith | Rep | 2018 |
| 24 - Yuma County - La Paz Cty South | Don Shooter | Rep | 2018 |
| 25 - Pima County W. - Cochise County | Gail Griffin | Rep | 2018 |
| 26 - Oro Valley - Catalina (Tucson North) | Al Melvin | Rep | 2016 |
| 27 - Tucson West - Tucson | Olivia Cajero Bedford | Dem | 2018 |
| 28 - Tucson North | Paula Aboud | Dem | 2014 |
| 29 - Tucson | Linda J. Lopez | Dem | 2016 |
| 30 - Green Valley ( Tucson Sth et East) | Frank Antenori | Rep | 2018 |
[edit] See also
- Arizona State Capitol
- Arizona Legislature
- Arizona House of Representatives
- List of Representatives and Senators of Arizona Legislature by Districts
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Arizona State Senate official government website
- Billhop - Arizona legislative wiki
- Project Vote Smart - State Senate of Arizona
|

