Roberts: Roll call: Who supported expanding dark money in Arizona?

Sometime soon, you’ll be hearing from your legislators.

Maybe they’ll send you a shiny mailer, regaling you with all the ways they’ve improved our beloved state. Or maybe they’ll call you or knock on your door to ask for your vote to be returned to the Legislature or sent to Congress or the Corporation Commission.

Before you give it to them, ask them how they voted on Senate Bill 1516.

You may recall Secretary of State Michele Reagan’s proposal to overhaul Arizona’s campaign-finance laws.

The bill that eliminates criminal punishments for making illegal campaign contributions. The one that allows our leaders to essentially launder their pals’ campaign contributions by letting legislators pass along money to their colleagues.

The one that will open the floodgates to more of the dark money that increasingly is flooding our state to get certain people elected – and to ensure that others aren’t – without you ever knowing who is behind the blackout curtain.

The bill was passed by the Legislature, despite polls showing that Arizona voters overwhelmingly oppose dark money. It was signed into law by Gov. Doug Ducey, who might not even be governor but for a $3.5 million dark-money campaign that mowed down the competition in 2014.

A group called Stop Corruption Now mounted a referendum, to block SB 1516 from becoming law. But it was an all-volunteer operation, destined to fail and this week, the group called it quits, unable to get the needed 75,000 signatures to put it on the November ballot so that you could decide the issue.

Instead, you will decide who will represent you in the hallways of power next year.

SB 1516 was passed by Republican legislators, though a few voted against it. Democrats united to oppose the bill, though a couple didn’t vote.

Here’s a rundown on who did what:

Republican senators voting for the bill: Sylvia Allen of Snowflake; Nancy Barto of Phoenix; Carlyle Begay of Ganado; Andy Biggs of Gilbert; Judy Burges of Sun City West; Jeff Dial of Chandler; Susan Donahue of Lake Havasu City; Adam Driggs of Phoenix; David Farnsworth of Mesa; Gail Griffin of Hereford; John Kavanagh of Fountain Hills; Debbie Lesko of Peoria; Steve Pierce of Prescott; Don Shooter of Yuma; Steve Smith of Maricopa; Bob Worsley of Mesa; Steve Yarbrough of Chandler, and Kimberly Yee of Phoenix.

No Republican senators voted against the bill.

Democratic senators who voted against the bill: David Bradley and Olivia Cajero Bedford, both of Tucson; Lupe Contreras of Cashion; Andrea Dalessandro of Sahuarita; Steve Farley of Tucson; Katie Hobbs of Phoenix; Barbara McGuire of Kearny; Lynne Pancrazi of Yuma; Martin Quezada of Phoenix, and Andrew Sherwood of Tempe.

Senate Democrats Robert Meza and Catherine Miranda, both of Phoenix, didn’t vote.

Republican representatives voting for the bill: John Allen of Scottsdale, Brenda Barton of Payson, Sonny Borrelli of Lake Havasu City; Rusty Bowers of Mesa; Paul Boyer of Phoenix; Heather Carter of Phoenix; Regina Cobb of Kingman; Doug Coleman of Apache Junction; Karen Fann of Prescott; Eddie Farnsworth of Gilbert; Mark Finchem of Oro Valley; David Gowan of Sierra Vista, Rick Gray of Sun City; Anthony Kern of Glendale; Jay Lawrence of Scottsdale; Vince Leach of Tucson; David Livingston and Phil Lovas, both of Peoria; J.D. Mesnard of Chandler; Darin Mitchell and Steve Montenegro, both of Litchfield Park; Jill Norgaard of Phoenix; Justin Olson of Mesa; Warren Petersen of Gilbert; Frank Pratt of Casa Grande; Tony Rivero of Peoria; T.J. Shope of Coolidge; David Stevens of Sierra Vista; Bob Thorpe of Flagstaff; Kelly Townsend of Mesa, and Jeff Weninger of Chandler.

Republicans voting against the bill: Chris Ackerley of Sahuarita; Kate Brophy McGee of Phoenix; Noel Campbell of Prescott, and Michelle Ugenti-Rita of Scottsdale. Republican Bob Robson of Chandler did not vote.

Democratic representatives voting against the bill: Lela Alston of Phoenix; Richard Andrade of Glendale; Jennifer Benally of Tuba City; Reg Bolding, Mark Cardenas and Ken Clark, all of Phoenix; Diego Espinoza of Tolleson; Carlene Fernandez of Yuma; Randall Friese of Tucson; Rosanna Gabaldon of Green Valley; Albert Hale of St. Michaels; Matt Kopec of Tucson; Jonathan Larkin of Glendale; Stefanie Mach of Tucson; Debbie McCune Davis of Phoenix; Juan Mendez of Tempe; Eric Meyer of Phoenix;  Lisa Otondo of Yuma; Celeste Plumlee of Tempe; Rebecca Rios of Phoenix; Macario Saldate of Tucson; Ceci Velasquez of Litchfield Park, and Bruce Wheeler of Tucson.

Democrat Sally Ann Gonzales of Tucson did not vote.

Something to think about, as you consider who best represents your interests.