Claiming it will increase turnout, the Republican-controlled House voted March 7 to set up a system that could force cities to move their local elections to even-numbered years.

Phoenix, Tucson and the state's 17 other charter cities can have their local elections pretty much when they want, no matter what state legislators say, the Arizona Court of Appeals has ruled.

Citing an array of potential problems, a Pima County Superior Court judge has ruled that Tucson and Phoenix don’t have to move their elections to the fall of even-numbered years to coincide with state and federal elections.

At a recent Phoenix City Council District 8 candidate forum in a central Phoenix church, the pews were nearly filled with roughly 80 political junkies getting their fix.

Two electoral changes implemented by Republicans this year have attracted opposition and litigation from Democrats who argued the laws violate the state Constitution to advance partisan agendas. In July, Gov. Jan Brewer signed S1123 into law. The legislation, proposed by Tucson Sen. Jonathan Paton, banned local governments from including partisan affiliations for candidates on the ballot.