Everything you need to know about how to vote in Arizona’s primary election

“Votebeat is a nonprofit news organization reporting on voting access and election administration across the U.S. Sign up for Votebeat Arizona’s free newsletter here. Get ready, Arizonans — it’s almost time to vote in the state primary election. It’s a midterm year, which means key congressional seats and top state positions are up for grabs. The primary is an important part of the election cycle, as it determines which candidates will proceed to the general election on Nov. 3. Arizona’s primary is scheduled for July 21, but voting starts on June 24. We compiled answers to some common questions about the election. Here’s everything you need to know to cast your ballot. What offices are on the ballot in Arizona’s primary election? At the federal level, voters will select nominees for seats in the House of Representatives. Neither of the state’s U.S. Senate seats is up for election this year. Voters will also choose nominees for all of the state’s top positions, including governor, secretary of state, and attorney general. Every seat in both chambers of the Arizona Legislature are also up for election this year. Finally, a number of local offices and ballot measures will appear on voters’ primary ballots — but in most cases, those races are nonpartisan, meaning voters won’t be nominating candidates to run under a party’s banner in the general election. Rather, they’ll typically decide the outcome of those seats and propositions outright. In some cases, local candidates may proceed to a runoff election, depending on the results of the vote and the municipality’s rules. Who can vote in the primary election? All registered voters, regardless of party affiliation, are eligible to participate in the state primary. If you are a member of one of Arizona’s five registered political parties, you will receive that party’s ballot. The state also allows voters not registered with a political party to pick which ballot they would like to use to vote — Democratic, Republican, or No Labels. The Libertarian and Green parties hold closed primaries, meaning only party members can participate. How can I check my voter registration status? You can check your registration status through My.Arizona.Vote . To use the site, you’ll need to provide one of the following: Your driver’s license number. Your tribal identification card number. The last four digits of your Social Security number. How can I register to vote or change my political party affiliation? You can register to vote online if you have an Arizona driver’s license or state ID. Otherwise, you’ll need to register with a paper voter registration form. You can return the form to your county recorder by mail or drop it off at their office. If you register with a paper form, you must provide proof of citizenship to be eligible to vote a full ballot. Remember to include a photocopy of one of these documents: Your Arizona driver’s license. Your Arizona non-operating identification card. Your birth certificate. The photo identification page of your U.S. passport or passport card. Your naturalization documents. Your alien registration number. Your U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs or tribal identification card. If you do not provide proof of citizenship, you may still be registered to vote, but will only be eligible to participate in federal races — not state or local contests. How can I tell if I’m eligible to vote? In Arizona, you are qualified to vote if you are a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old by the date of the election, and a resident of the state for at least 29 days before the election. You cannot register to vote if you are a convicted felon and your rights have not been restored, or if you have been adjudicated as an incapacitated person. When is the deadline to register to vote in the primary election? The voter registration deadline for the state primary is 11:59 p.m. on June 22. Be sure to check your registration status before the deadline if you wish to participate in the election. When is the voting period? Mail ballots go out starting on June 24. That’s also the first day of in-person voting. Election Day is on July 21, and is the last day to vote. How can I get a ballot in the mail? If you are registered with a political party and have signed up for the state’s Active Early Voting List, you will automatically receive a ballot in the mail. If you’re not on the list but want to vote by mail, or if you are not registered to vote with a political party, you must contact your county election officials to request a one-time mail ballot. The deadline to request a mail ballot is July 10. I’m out of town. Will my ballot be forwarded? No, your ballot will not be automatically sent to your temporary address, even if you’ve set up mail forwarding. State law does not allow the U.S. Postal Service to forward official election materials, such as ballots. If you need a ballot forwarded, you should contact your county recorder . When is the deadline to mail in a ballot for the primary election? Your primary ballot must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day, July 21, or else it won’t be counted. To account for possible mail delays, you should put your ballot in the mail seven to 10 days before the election — by July 14 at the latest. Postage is prepaid, so your ballot does not require a stamp. Can I drop off my ballot in person instead? Yes. Counties typically offer freestanding drop boxes where voters can return their ballots. Check with your local election officials for locations. Voters can also return their mail ballots at polling sites during the early voting period or on Election Day. Those who do so can opt to show ID when dropping off their ballots to have them counted sooner. If you choose to show ID, you may have to wait in line at the voting location. Some counties may offer a separate line for voters who are dropping off their mail ballot with their ID. Others may require you to stand in the same line as in-person voters. If you choose to drop off your ballot without showing ID, you can skip the line at the polls. Your ballot will go through signature verification, a process that safeguards against fraud, before being counted. I want to vote in person. How can I do that? All Arizona voters can cast their ballot in person, regardless of whether they were mailed a ballot. You can vote early in person or on Election Day. If you received a mail ballot, election workers will void that ballot and give you a replacement ballot to vote. If you were not mailed a ballot, you will receive one when you arrive at the polling place. Some counties assign polling places to voters based on their voting precinct. Others use a vote center model in which voters can go to any polling place in the county to cast their ballot. Check with your county election officials for details. Polls are open on Election Day from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Early voting hours vary by location; contact your local election officials for details. Do I need to bring anything with me to the polls? ID is required if you vote in person. Acceptable forms of ID include: Your valid Arizona driver’s license. Your valid state identification card. Your tribal enrollment card. Other government-issued identification. Two items, such as a utility bill and a bank statement, that bear your name and address. Can I track my ballot? Yes. Maricopa County voters can track their ballot at BeBallotReady.Vote . Pima County voters can track their ballot on the county recorder’s website . Voters in other parts of Arizona can track their ballot via BallotTrax . I have more questions. How can I contact my local election officials? The Arizona Secretary of State’s Office provides contact information for election officials by county. All voters can contact the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office at 1-877-THE-VOTE or 602-542-8683. If you run into any problems, we want to hear about them! If you have any other questions or concerns about voting in Arizona, please let us know. We can be reached at az.tips@votebeat.org . Sasha Hupka is a reporter for Votebeat based in Arizona. Contact Sasha at shupka@votebeat.org .

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