Arizona voters have backed a measure restricting photo traffic enforcement, with Proposition 319 set to pass following Tuesday’s election. About 84% of ballots had been counted as of the Nov. 4 report, with 61% supporting the ban and just under 40% opposing it. The outcome puts the future of existing camera programs before voters.
The proposition prohibits new traffic enforcement cameras while allowing established programs, including those in Tempe and Phoenix, to continue under a grandfather provision. Those existing programs must receive voter approval at the next election. Asked whether enough voters would support keeping Tempe’s cameras operating beyond 2028, Mayor Corey Woods said, “I’m not sure at this point.”
Lawmakers have considered prohibiting photo enforcement for several years. The Legislature referred the issue to voters as cities including Tempe and Phoenix restored their programs. Tempe installed speed and red-light cameras in May 2025, and Phoenix brought back photo enforcement earlier in 2026.
Tempe’s decision followed concerns about serious and fatal crashes and came amid a shortage of police officers. Arizona’s Family Investigates had reported on an increase in those crashes and subsequent efforts to address them. City leaders voted to restore the cameras as part of their response.
Woods supports the program and said motorists have adjusted their behavior. He described a change in his own approach to yellow lights, slowing down instead of accelerating to get through an intersection. Citing data in support of the cameras, he said, “We’ve seen a reduction in fatal crashes and collisions by over 21%.”
Phoenix City Councilwoman Debra Stark also pointed to early indications that cameras were influencing drivers. She said preliminary studies suggested people were beginning to slow down, a development she described as giving her hope. Her comments reflected support for the program as Phoenix resumed its use of photo enforcement.
Phoenix Councilwoman Anna Hernandez welcomed the proposition’s passage and the requirement for voter approval. In a statement, she said the city had installed cameras without resident input. Hernandez encouraged compliance with speed limits and traffic laws but argued that photo radar and intersection cameras give the state unchecked surveillance power. She said the measure would restore residents’ ability to challenge that power.
Proposition 319 was among eight statewide measures the Republican-controlled Legislature sent to voters after Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed bills lawmakers had attempted to enact. With approximately 80% of ballots counted, separate proposals concerning an election overhaul and a ban on DEI appeared headed for defeat.
