Guide

The Arizona Constitution utilizes the standard constitutional structure of articles divided into sections (with some articles first divided into parts before being divided into sections) and the common practice of incorporating amendments directly into the main text of the constitution. However, there are instances when there may be multiple versions of a section in the formal text of the constitution. When two or more amendments affecting the same constitutional provision are approved by voters in the same election, they are incorporated into the constitution as distinct versions of the same provision.

Under Article IV, Part 1, Section 1(12) of the constitution, "If two or more conflicting measures or amendments to the constitution shall be approved by the people at the same election, the measure or amendment receiving the greatest number of affirmative votes shall prevail in all particulars as to which there is conflict." Courts may decide whether the versions are in conflict and, if they are not in conflict, the courts will attempt to harmonize the provisions if doing so is necessary to adjudicate a case. Although the harmonized version of the provisions is considered authoritative, the formal text of the constitution remains the same until subsequently amended.

For example, in 1968, Arizonans passed two amendments to Article V, Section 1, resulting in two versions of the provision. The Arizona Supreme Court determined that the two versions were not in conflict and harmonized the provisions. Then, in 1988, the legislature proposed an amendment to Article V, Section 1 that relied on the court's harmonized version of the section. Once passed, there was once again only one version of Article V, Section 1. However, in 1992, Arizonans once again passed two amendments to Article V, Section 1, creating two versions of the section. A subsequent 2022 proposal approved by voters amended only one version of the section. These two versions of the section persist to this day.

Likewise, there are currently two versions of Article XIX due to simultaneous amendments in 1992.