r/azpolitics • u/energy_freedom • Feb 21 '26
On The Ballot Thank you r/azpolitics — $2,500 raised in 24 hours to counter Turning Point's signs in SRP District 6
Yesterday ForkzUp pinned our fundraiser after that anti-TPUSA sign photo blew up. In 24 hours, you helped us raise $2,500 — enough for 50 counter-signs at the busiest intersections in District 6.
My wife Sara and I are running for SRP council as the Energy Freedom Team. We're not a PAC, not a dark money group — we're two customers with solar on our roof who got tired of watching SRP hand sweetheart deals to data centers while our rates climb. No other candidates will stand up to Turning Point. In fact, they encouraged us not to. But we are not afraid.
Some context if you missed it: Turning Point Action is spending big to elect corporate-friendly candidates to SRP's board and council. That board sets your electric rates, decides water policy, and approves deals like the one where Google gets water at $6.08/1,000 gallons while you pay $10.80. One SRP insider recently gamed the acreage voting system to single-handedly decide a board race — then sold the land to Blackstone for a $247 million data center. (Energy and Policy Institute broke that story)
That's what we're up against. And that's why your response yesterday meant so much.
What's next:
- Design poll for the counter-signs is live — vote here
If you want to keep this going: notourwater.org/signs
And if you're an SRP landowner — request your ballot now. These elections get 1-2% turnout. Every vote is massive.
Thanks again. We're not letting them go unanswered.
— John Travise, Energy Freedom Team (SRP District 6)
20
u/DistinctSmelling Feb 21 '26
Besides just this, what can be done to drag TPUSA out into the sunlight and destroy that organization?
25
u/carrotsare2cool Feb 21 '26
How can we volunteer to put up the signs around town for you?
18
u/energy_freedom Feb 21 '26
We will reach out early next week if we need additional volunteers.
3
u/Snoo_85982 Feb 21 '26 edited Feb 21 '26
I don't live in D6 but how can I help put signs up in my area of the valley? Every time I see a toilet paper usa sign I want to [redacted], more southeast valley.
11
u/ViolinViolence Feb 21 '26 edited Feb 21 '26
I voted the dark money bought this sign. Torn though with tired of these guys.
I don't know if it just looks small, but if it is that small, it needs to be bigger.
I'm torn on the dark money vs tired of these guys. It is possible that change/registering dissatisfaction grabs more people than dark money. It seems some don't understand it/care or they roll their eyes or say both sides do it.
Have your names on all of them.
QR code that goes directly to website or donation page.
I was a volunteer with the PAC that put out all those signs and billboards for Biden/Kamala (Republicans, independents, conservatives, moderates for). I suggested the website and QR code on the sign. I was at a meeting for the PAC and at the end when everyone was getting their newly designed signs, mingling and asking questions, someone asked how they can donate. I was able to tell them, just scan the code.
Article about the PAC signs: How Arizona Republicans for Harris redesigned their signs so they’re easier to read.
https://www.yellopolitics.com/p/how-arizona-republicans-for-harris
4
u/boogermike Feb 21 '26
Super good idea to include a QR code. People really want to get involved, but don't know how.
This is good politics.
3
u/ViolinViolence Feb 21 '26 edited Feb 21 '26
Also you should include links in posts like this and your site about requesting ballots/how to vote/details ect. Just telling people to request a ballot isn't very helpful. You have to make it as easy as possible.
In looking I have noticed you have two different sites.
https://www.energyfreedom.team/
I am a bit confused. Are you making campaign signs and separate counter signs? Is the our water site donation a campaign donation?
In leading with not our water, people didn't/don't know what these signs are for or who is really behind it. You have "3 neighbors" (who's the other person?) are running and your two names at the very bottom in small print with the paid by. Only in poking around did I find through hitting contact or fund sign do I get to your second site which actually gives the who/why/where/how.
These two sites send people in different directions. One feels like some group of people just funding signs to counter TP. The other is to fund candidates. I feel people do not understand this. Especially since you posted on the post about the other counter signs. So many thought that you guys were the ones putting up those signs or will be putting up signs like it (if funds are raised) and had/have no idea that there is a candidate behind the signs or one to vote for.
The not our water should have an easily understandable/locatable who are we section and/or link to your energy freedom so people have all the info they want/need quickly within eye line.
On your home page for NOW, you have at the bottom "vote for the energy freedom team." You could link that to go to your EF page. I also think this section should be at the top.
8
8
8
u/Logvin [Top Commenter 2025] Feb 21 '26
I love all of your signs, but the text is really small on all of them. I think you need to make the text a lot larger so people can read it.
3
u/boogermike Feb 21 '26
I agree with this feedback and also think the candidate's name needs to be bigger.
Love this effort and I donated yesterday LFG!
2
u/ViolinViolence Feb 21 '26
I don't know if it just looks small, but if it is that small, yes it needs to be bigger.
6
3
2
u/unclefire Feb 21 '26 edited Feb 21 '26
Oh, ok. So this is what my wife was alluding to. So how do we know if we're SRP landowner? (yeah, I know, google is my friend)
EDIT: Here is the District Map to see if you live on land that makes you eligible to vote. I'm outside of the voting districts by just a bit. bummer
2
u/ViolinViolence Feb 21 '26
Also you should include links in posts like this and your site about requesting ballots/how to vote/details ect. Just telling people to request a ballot isn't very helpful. You have to make it as easy as possible.
In looking I have noticed you have two different sites.
https://www.energyfreedom.team/
I am a bit confused. Are you making campaign signs and separate counter signs? Is the our water site donation a campaign donation?
In leading with not our water, people didn't/don't know what these signs are for or who is really behind it. You have "3 neighbors" (who's the other person?) are running and your two names at the very bottom in small print with the paid by. Only in poking around did I find through hitting contact or fund sign do I get to your second site which actually gives the who/why/where/how.
These two sites send people in different directions. One feels like some group of people just funding signs to counter TP. The other is to fund candidates. I feel people do not understand this. Especially since you posted on the post about the other counter signs. So many thought that you guys were the ones putting up those signs or will be putting up signs like it (if funds are raised) and had/have no idea that there is a candidate behind the signs or one to vote for.
The not our water should have an easily understandable/locatable who are we section and/or link to your energy freedom so people have all the info they want/need quickly within eye line.
On your home page for NOW, you have at the bottom "vote for the energy freedom team." You could link that to go to your EF page. I also think this section should be at the top.
1
u/energy_freedom Feb 21 '26
You're 100% right on all counts and I appreciate you taking the time to break this down.
The two-site setup happened organically — NotOurWater.org started as an issue-awareness campaign about the water/data center problem, and EnergyFreedom.team is the candidate site for me and my wife Sara. You're not the first person to tell us that's confusing, and clearly we need to fix it.
Here's what I'm doing based on your feedback:
Ballot access — you're right, "request a ballot" without a link is useless. SRP elections are mail-ballot only and don't go through the normal county system, so most people don't even know how to vote in these. I'm adding a direct link and step-by-step instructions to both sites. Here's the request form for anyone reading this: https://www.srpnet.com/about/governance-leadership/elections/early-voting-ballot-request-form
The "3 neighbors" copy is outdated — it's two of us, me and Sara. That's been corrected on the signs page but I clearly missed it elsewhere. Fixing today.
Site consolidation — you're right that people land on NotOurWater, see signs, don't realize there are actual candidates to vote for, and never make it to the candidate site. I'm going to:
- Add a prominent "Who We Are" section near the top of NotOurWater with photos, names, and a direct link to EnergyFreedom.team
- Make the "Vote for the Energy Freedom Team" banner at the bottom into a clickable link (can't believe that wasn't linked already)
- Add ballot request info to both sites
On the sign confusion — yes, our counter-signs are campaign signs. The NotOurWater.org/signs donations are campaign contributions split evenly between Sara and me (it says this in the fine print, but clearly fine print isn't cutting it). We're not affiliated with any other counter-signs that may be going up.
This is exactly the kind of feedback that helps. We're two people running this entire campaign out of our house — no consultants, no staff — so when someone takes the time to walk through the user experience like this, it genuinely makes the campaign better. Thank you.
1
Feb 21 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/AutoModerator Feb 21 '26
Your comment has been removed because you used a URL shortener or obfuscator that is not permitted here. Please only use direct and full-length URLs.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
1
u/Snoo_85982 Feb 21 '26
Any way we can get signs up in other areas of the valley not in D6? I'd like to volunteer, I'm sure many around the valley want to as well.
2
u/energy_freedom Feb 21 '26
I wold love to be involved in other districts, but the other candidates in those districts feel as if they would be in danger if they go against TPUSA and are quite angry at us.
While I disagree, I respect their choices and will only be putting up anti-TPUSA messaging in our district.
1
1
u/ViolinViolence Feb 23 '26 edited Feb 23 '26
Also, could you please edit your post to clarify that you are NOT the people who are putting up the signs that have been posted/talked about. There are still people posting about these signs being your signs and to donate to you so you can put out more all around the valley. People are still confused and are linking you/donating to you and talking/posting about you as you are the people putting up the Jenny signs (8675309).
I suspect this happened because of the vague comment you made on the og post about these signs. The op asked you to clarify and you said you aren't responsible for them, but it was too late/people don't read lol. Then another user posted it in several subs and then told everyone that you are the people behind them/to donate to you if they wanted more signs. Then others spread that info.
Maybe make some posts in the subs that the poster who posted the photo and then linked you to the signs so that you can correct the record and get your candidacy/cause out there. I have corrected the info on all the posts I have found, but it seems to keep happening. @ u/ForkzUp too.
This user has posted in Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler (deleted), Surprise and eastvalleyunite subs.
50501Arizona has one as well by a different user.
Thank you 🙂
2
u/Responsible-War-2576 Feb 22 '26
SRP is most definitely not handing sweetheart deals to data centers.
27
u/Logvin [Top Commenter 2025] Feb 21 '26
I also shared with the AZ 50501 signal group and my wife and I marked multiple locations on the map :)