Clean Energy Wins Majority on Arizona's SRP Board

A grassroots team focused on clean energy just proved that deep pockets don't always win elections.

Voters in Arizona's Salt River Project election handed most board seats to Clean Energy Team candidates on Tuesday, even though Turning Point Action was expected to outspend them by a 10-to-1 margin. The results show voters in the utility's service area chose clean energy priorities over the conservative political group's candidates in seven of nine contested races.

SRP provides power to about 1.1 million customers across metro Phoenix. As a not-for-profit utility without investors, its elected boards work with management to set policies that affect everything from energy sources to rates for more than a million households.

The races drew unusual attention this year after Turning Point Action, the political arm of the Phoenix-based conservative activist group, jumped into the typically low-profile utility elections. Their involvement transformed what's normally a quiet local election into a high-stakes political showdown.

Turning Point Action did manage to win the top two positions, with Chris Dobson elected as board president and Barry Paceley as vice president. But Clean Energy Team candidates swept the remaining competitive races, including crucial at-large district board seats and multiple division-level positions.

Maricopa County Supervisor Thomas Galvin called Turning Point Action's overall performance a "complete botch job" despite celebrating their presidential wins. The comment captures the mixed results for the well-funded political operation.

The Ripple Effect

This victory shows what happens when communities organize around shared environmental priorities. The Clean Energy Team's success despite massive funding disadvantages sends a signal that voters in Arizona's largest metro area want clean energy solutions, not political grandstanding.

SRP's structure makes these elections particularly important for the region's energy future. The utility serves a massive population across the Phoenix metro area, and the policies set by these newly elected boards will shape energy choices for years to come.

The final results will be officially canvassed on Monday, making the Clean Energy Team's majority official.

A scrappy group of clean energy advocates just showed that grassroots organizing can still triumph over big money in American elections.