Supreme Court won't hear challenge to Tucson election system

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court is refusing to review a lower court’s ruling that Tucson’s elections system for city council races is constitutional.

The justices without comment earlier this week let stand the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ September ruling that the hybrid system used by Arizona’s second most populous city doesn’t violate the U.S. Constitution’s commitment to one vote per person.

The city is divided into wards, and residents can only vote for candidates in their ward during primary elections. They can vote for any council candidate during general elections.

The 9th Circuit ruling said Tucson can justify its electoral system’s design.

The September ruling overturned one by a smaller 9th Circuit panel. It said Tucson’s system put many voters at a disadvantage by giving the upper hand to Democratics.