In metropolitan Phoenix, the April 7 election for the Salt River Project board follows a century-old rule: one acre, one vote. Only property owners can participate, with voting power proportional to land ownership. A homeowner on a quarter-acre gets a quarter of a vote, while a farmer with 200 acres receives 200 votes.

This system dates to 1903, when valley residents put up property as collateral for federal loans to build the Roosevelt Dam. While the utility's debts have long been paid off, the property requirement persists. Renters and homeowners outside the utility's boundaries are completely excluded from voting on rates and policies affecting millions of customers.

Environmental groups like the Sierra Club and renewable energy advocates are challenging the status quo, backed by candidates seeking to expand voting rights. Meanwhile, Turning Point USA is mobilizing conservative voters to maintain the current system. The election has become a battleground over Arizona's energy future, with implications for rooftop solar adoption and water management in a region facing constant drought and rising electricity prices.