Clean Energy Team Wins SRP Board Election in Arizona After Turning Point USA Campaign Falls Short
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A clean energy slate of candidates will control the Salt River Project board after an unprecedented election that drew national attention
Turning Point USA's attempt to prevent a pro-renewable energy majority on Arizona's largest utility board has failed. The Clean Energy Team has won control of the Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District board, marking a significant shift in Arizona's energy policy landscape.
The election results, released on Wednesday, show the Clean Energy Team securing an eight to six majority on the SRP board. This represents the first time in the utility's over 120 year history that pro-renewable energy candidates have held a majority of board seats.
The Battle for Phoenix Power
Turning Point Action launched an unprecedented localized campaign to prevent a clean energy majority on the board, pouring resources into the election. The conservative group's political action committee even admitted defeat.
"First, we congratulate Chris Dobson and Barry Paceley on their victories for President and Vice President," said Jimmy Lindblom, a local construction executive who formed a PAC to support conservative energy candidates. "While we are encouraged by their leadership, we are disappointed by the results in several other board races."
Despite this loss, two Turning Point Action candidates did win key positions: Chris Dobson as SRP president and Barry Paceley as vice president. However, Dobson will set the board's agenda as part of a minority, and Paceley serves as a non-voting member.
Why Clean Energy Won
The election results reflect growing voter concern over soaring utility bills. Autumn Johnson, executive director of the Arizona Solar Energy Industries Association, noted the shift:
"This is probably the first election in my lifetime when energy would probably make somebody's ranking list of the things they care about."
Johnson attributes the victory to a growing voter awareness of rising costs across Arizona. The Clean Energy Team focused their efforts on the acreage seats in voting areas 4, 6 and 8, which proved decisive in securing the majority.
The Turning Point Effect
Turning Point Action's strategy was to make the election about national brand recognition rather than local energy issues. The group's get-out-the-vote efforts began in the summer of 2025 and seemed to mobilize voters who had never participated in an SRP election before.
"Turning Point made this election about them," said independent consultant Chuck Coughlin. "It is a very poor time to be associated with the president with his poll numbers where they are, and they became the turnout mechanism."
Coughlin noted that while Turning Point had solid messaging around affordability and reliability, the association with the conservative group and the federal administration overshadowed those appeals.
Understanding SRP Elections
SRP is a nonprofit subdivision of the state that provides water and power to more than 2 million people throughout the Valley, from Chandler and Scottsdale to Goodyear and Peoria. Unlike other Arizona utilities regulated by the Arizona Corporation Commission, SRP is regulated by a board made up of landowners within its service territory.
The utility is governed by two organizations: the Salt River Valley Water Users' Association and the Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District. Only landowners can vote in SRP elections, meaning approximately 40,000 of the utility's 2 million customers can weigh in on its leadership.
Voters elect a president and vice president to oversee both the association and district. Ten board members and 30 council members are elected to oversee the association from SRP's 10 voting areas, while 14 board members and 30 council members are elected to oversee the district.
What This Means for Arizona
The clean energy victory has implications beyond SRP. Two seats on the state's other utility oversight board, the Arizona Corporation Commission, are also up for grabs this year.
Johnson said the SRP results should put those candidates — four on the Republican side, including two incumbents, and two on the Democratic side — on notice. But it should also serve as a reflection of "pent-up angst" that voters seem especially willing to take out on Republican candidates.
The SRP results could foreshadow the results of state contests set to take place in November.
"People waiting two and a half hours in line to vote for a utility governance board should make people pretty concerned about the amount of fervor that's going to be around the November election," Johnson said.
Expert Analysis
The election demonstrated that Arizona voters are becoming increasingly engaged in energy policy decisions. The Clean Energy Team's victory reflects a broader national trend where consumers are seeking alternatives to fossil fuel-based energy generation.
Independent consultant Chuck Coughlin observed that parts of the SRP campaign had strong messaging around affordability and reliability. However, the association with Turning Point and the federal administration created a political context that turned out voters who had never engaged in utility elections before.
The result suggests that energy issues are becoming a central concern for Arizona voters, with clean energy advocates successfully mobilizing support against a well-funded conservative opposition.
The final results will be canvassed on Monday, but the Clean Energy Team's victory signals a significant shift in Arizona's energy policy direction.
Sources:
- Arizona Capitol Times: https://azcapitoltimes.com/news/clean-energy-majority-takes-over-srp-board-turning-point-falls-short
- KTAR.com: https://ktar.com/arizona-election-news/2026-srp-election-results/5844851/
- Arizona Family: https://www.azfamily.com/2026/03/31/arizona-ag-challenges-massive-utility-rate-hike-community-near-casa-grande/