Arizona PBS, Center for the Future of Arizona establish partnership aimed at educating voters ahead of November’s election

Arizona PBS and Center for the Future of Arizona (CFA) today announced a partnership aimed at educating voters ahead of the general election, taking place this fall. Through this partnership, the two organizations are presenting “Voter Ed,” a five-episode digital-first series giving viewers a crash course in key civics topics. The other outcome of this partnership is a series of seven issue-focused segments, which will be included in episodes of “Arizona Horizon,” the station’s daily news and public affairs program. The topics of these segments were informed by CFA's Gallup Arizona Survey research revealing seven shared public values of Arizonans. 

“As Arizonans prepare to cast their ballots in this important election year, we are proud to partner with CFA to produce an informative and thought-provoking series, like ‘Voter Ed,’ which aims to promote civic action and participation in the democratic process,” said Arizona PBS General Manager Scott Woelfel. “In addition, the seven ‘Arizona Horizon’ segments we’re producing will show the human faces behind some of the most pressing issues currently facing our state.”

Narrated by “Arizona Horizon” host and managing editor Ted Simons, “Voter Ed” is comprised of five, three-to-four-minute vignettes with each one exploring a different component of the civics process in Arizona. A digital-first series, new episodes of “Voter Ed” will be released on azpbs.org, the @ArizonaPBS Facebook page, and the @AZPBSNow YouTube channel the last Friday of each month, starting June 28 at noon.

As part of CFA’s ongoing effort to listen to Arizonans, the organization regularly commissions survey research of residents across the Grand Canyon State. Through this work, CFA discovered that Arizonans overwhelmingly agree on the things that matter most and subsequently identified seven shared public values – education; health and well-being; jobs and economic opportunity; environment and sustainable future; civic engagement and leadership; fair, just, and equitable systems; and immigration reform. 

Each of those seven public values will be a focus of one of the aforementioned “Arizona Horizon” packages. Although specific airdates for those packages have not been determined, one is expected to air in July, with two more airing in the months of August, September, and October. “Arizona Horizon” is broadcast weekdays at 5 and 10 p.m., and a livestream can be accessed daily via azpbs.org, the @ArizonaPBS Facebook page, and the @AZPBSNow YouTube channel.

For Arizona PBS, this partnership and the content it will result in aligns with the station’s “AZ Votes 2024” initiative, which seeks to keep Arizona voters informed throughout this important election year. For more, visit azpbs.org/azvotes24.

For CFA, the announcement of this partnership comes one month after the organization released the 2024 Arizona Voters Agenda, which identifies the issues voters agree on across political and generational lines to inform election discourse. For more information, click here.

About Center for the Future of Arizona
Center for the Future of Arizona (CFA) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan "do-tank" that brings Arizonans together to create a stronger and brighter future for our state. Through survey research & reports, Arizona Progress Meters, and impact initiatives & programs, CFA listens to Arizonans to learn what matters most to them, shares trusted data about how Arizona is doing in those priority areas, brings critical issues to public attention, and works with communities and leaders to solve public problems. CFA leads impact initiatives and programs across the state and has deep and ongoing engagement in education, workforce development, and civic health, recognizing how essential these are to advancing economic prosperity, quality of life, and opportunity for all.

CFA is focused on bringing Arizonans together to realize The Arizona We Want, which is a shared vision of success centered on what matters most to Arizonans and how those priorities can shape a hopeful and more prosperous long-term future for the state. The Arizona Voters’ Agenda is one more example of CFA’s commitment to research efforts that identify what matters most to Arizonans across a range of critical issues. Data from the research can not only inform election discourse but also connect Arizonans by bridging perceived divides, mobilizing communities and leaders around shared priorities, and ultimately realizing progress on critical challenges. For more information, visit https://arizonafuture.org/. 

About Arizona PBS
Arizona PBS is one of the nation’s leading public media organizations, with four broadcast channels and a growing array of digital platforms. A trusted community resource for 60 years, Arizona PBS fosters lifelong learning through quality programming, in-depth news coverage and critical educational outreach services. It is one of the country’s largest public television stations, reaching 80 percent of Arizona homes and 1.9 million households each week. Arizona PBS has been part of ASU since the station launched in 1961. Learn more at https://azpbs.org.