Voting in Arizona
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The policies governing voter participation are enacted and enforced primarily at the state level. These policies, which include voter identification requirements, early voting provisions, online voter registration systems, and more, dictate the conditions under which people cast their ballots in their respective states.
This article includes the following information about voting policies in Arizona:
- Voter registration details, including deadlines and eligibility requirements.
- In-person voting details, including identification requirements, poll times, and early voting provisions.
- Absentee/mail-in voting deadlines and rules.
- Details about Voting rules for people convicted of a felony.
- Contact information election agencies.
- Summaries of noteworthy policy-related events.
See Election administration in Arizona for more additional information about election administration in the state, including voter list maintenance policies, provisional ballot rules, and post-election auditing practices.
Do you have questions about your elections? Looking for information about your local election official? Click here to use U.S. Vote Foundation’s election official lookup tool.
Voter registration
The table below displays voter registration information specific to Arizona's 2024 election cycle.
Eligibility and registration details
- Check your voter registration status here.
To vote in Arizona, one must be a citizen of the United States and a resident of an Arizona county. A voter must be 18 years or older on or before Election Day.[1]
To be eligible to vote in an election one must register at least 29 days prior to the election. Individuals can register online, in person at the county recorder's office, or by mail.[2]
In-person voting
The table below displays in-person voting information specific to Arizona's 2024 election cycle.
Poll times
- See also: State poll opening and closing times
In Arizona, all polling places are open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[3][4]
Voter identification
- See also: Voter identification laws by state
Arizona requires voters to present photo identification or two forms of non-photo identification while voting.[5][6]
The following were accepted forms of identification as of July 2024: Click here for the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission's page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.
Voters can present one of the following forms of ID that contain the voter’s photograph, name, and address:
- Arizona driver’s license
- U.S. federal, state, or local government-issued ID, issued with printed name and address
- Arizona ID card
- Tribal enrollment card or other form of tribal ID
If a voter does not have one of the above forms of ID, the voter can present two of the following forms of ID that contain the voter’s name and address:
- Utility bill in the voter's name
- Bank or credit union statement that is dated within 90 days of the date of the election
- Valid Arizona vehicle registration
- Arizona vehicle insurance card
- Indian census card
- Property tax statement
- Recorder's certificate or voter registration card
- Tribal enrollment card or other tribal ID
- Valid U.S. federal, state, or local government-issued ID with a printed name and address or
- Any mailing in the voter's name that is labeled "official election material"
Additionally, if a voter presents photo ID that does not list an address within the precinct in which he or she wants to cast a vote, that person may present the photo ID with one non-photo identification material from the second list above. The identification material should include the voter’s address.
Early voting
- See also: Early voting
Arizona permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
As of February 2024, 47 states and the District of Columbia permitted no-excuse early voting.
Absentee/mail-in voting
- See also: Absentee/mail-in voting
The table below displays absentee voting information specific to Arizona's 2024 election cycle.
All voters are eligible to vote absentee/by-mail in Arizona. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee/by-mail.
To vote absentee/by-mail, an absentee/mail-in ballot application must be received by elections officials by 5:00 p.m. 11 days prior to the election. A returned absentee ballot must then be received by elections officials by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.[7][8]
Local election officials
Do you need information about elections in your area? Are you looking for your local election official? Click here to visit the U.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool. |
Voting rules for people convicted of a felony
In Arizona, people convicted of a felony lose their right to vote, but it can be restored. While the voting rights of first-time offenders are automatically restored upon completion of their sentence, those with multiple felony offenses must appeal to the court or the judge who discharged them. Click here for the procedure regarding the restoration of voting rights for people convicted of multiple felonies.
Voting rights for people convicted of a felony vary from state to state. In the majority of states, people convicted of a felony cannot vote while they are incarcerated but may regain the right to vote upon release from prison or at some point thereafter.[9]
Election administration agencies
Election agencies
- See also: State election agencies
Individuals seeking additional information about voting provisions in Arizona can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.
Arizona County Election Officials
Office of the Secretary of State, Elections Division
- 1700 W. Washington Street, Floor 7
- Phoenix, Arizona 85007
- Phone: 602-542-4285
- Toll free: 1-877-THE-VOTE
- Email: https://azsos.gov/webform/contact?department=1005
- Website: http://www.azsos.gov/
Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission
- Physical Address: 1110 W. Washington St., Suite 250
- Phoenix, Arizona 85007
- Mailing address: 1802 W. Jackson St. #129
- Phoenix, Arizona 85007
- Phone: 602-364-3477
- Toll free: 877-631-8891
- Fax: 602-364-3487
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.azcleanelections.gov/
U.S. Election Assistance Commission
- 633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200
- Washington, DC 20001
- Phone: 301-563-3919
- Toll free: 1-866-747-1471
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.eac.gov
Noteworthy events
2022
On March 30, 2022, Governor Doug Ducey (R) signed HB2492 into law. HB2492 required that voters submitting registration forms not produced by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission submit proof of citizenship along with their registration forms. In the case of registration forms produced by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, HB2492 required election officials to "use all available resources to verify the citizenship status" of applicants. Should officials be unable to verify a voter's citizenship status, that voter would be barred from voting in a presidential election or by mail in any election, pending submission of proof of citizenship. Should officials determine that a voter is not a citizen, officials would be required to forward the registration application to the county attorney and the attorney general for investigation. Under the law, officials who fail to comply with these requirements are guilty of a Class 6 felony.[10]
After adoption, the law was subject to a series of legal challenges that were ongoing as of August 2024. Throughout the challenges, the portion of the law that would bar applicants whose citizenship can not be verified from voting in presidential elections or from voting by mail has not been implemented.
On July 5, 2022, the Justice Department in President Joe Biden's (D) administration sued to block implementation of the entire law. The federal government argued that the new law violated the National Voting Registration Act by requiring documentary proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections.[11] In a press release, the Justice Department said, "This requirement flouts the 2013 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Arizona v. Inter Tribal Council of Ariz., Inc., 570 U.S. 1 (2013), which rejected an earlier attempt by Arizona to impose a similar documentary proof of citizenship mandate on applicants seeking to vote in federal elections."[11]
As of January 2023, the majority of county recorders in Arizona had submitted written assurances that they had not and would not enforce HB2492 while the law was undergoing legal challenges.[12]
On September 14, 2023, federal judge Susan Bolton blocked the implementation of HB2492. The decision ruled that requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections violated the National Voter Registration Act, but deferred ruling on the constitutionality of other portions of the law to a pending bench trial before the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. That trial began on November 3, 2023, and focused on a requirement of HB2492 that applicants to register to vote list their birthplace on their application.[13][14] On March 1, 2024, the court found that the portion of HB2492 requiring applicants to list their birthplace, "violated a federal law that prevents election officials from rejecting voting materials for errors or omissions that are not material to determining a registrant’s qualifications to vote," according to the Department of Justice.[15]
On May 2, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona issued a final judgment permanently blocking Arizona's proof-of-citizenship requirement for federal elections.[16] Intervenor defendants including the Republican National Committee (RNC) and the Republican Party of Arizona appealed that decision to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit where, according to reporting from CBS, "a three-judge panel [then] initially agreed to temporarily halt a portion of the district court's order. But a separate group of judges assigned to decide the merits of the case put the lower court's entire injunction back into effect."[17] The RNC and the Arizona Republican Party then sought emergency relief from the United States Supreme Court. For more on this case, see here.
Introduced on January 24, 2022, HB2492 cleared the Arizona House of Representatives by a vote of 31-25, with all Republicans voting in favor and all Democrats against. The Arizona State Senate approved the bill 16-12, also along party lines.[10]
2021
On May 11, 2021, Governor Doug Ducey (R) signed SB1485 into law, making the following modifications to the state's Permanent Early Voting List procedures:[18]
- Renamed the Permanent Early Voting List (PEVL) as the Active Early Voting List (AEVL).
- Provided for a voter's removal from the AEVL if he or she "fails to vote an early ballot in all elections for two consecutive election cycles" and fails to respond to written notice from the county recorder (the voter must "confirm in writing the voter's desire to remain on the active early voting list" and "return the completed notice to the county recorder or other office in charge of elections within ninety days after the notice is sent to the voter").
House Minority Leader Reginald Bolding (D) opposed the legislation: "The desperate desire of one party to game the system and hold onto power by erecting hurdles for voters of color and those with limited means overwhelmed any professed support for good public policy. Democrats, independents, seniors, Native Americans, African Americans, Latinos, women and young people — if you ever believed that your voice and your vote didn't matter, this bill is an absolute reminder that it does." Upon signing SB1485 into law, Ducey said, "Arizona is one of only five states with an early voting list, and this legislation mirrors the practice in California, which removes voters from the list if they do not actively vote. But unlike California, our law requires County Recorders to proactively reach out to voters, with ample notice, before they are removed. If this bill is as bad as some partisan activists have suggested – what does that say about their beloved California?"[19][20]
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker
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The Ballot Bulletin
The Ballot Bulletin is a weekly email that delivers the latest updates on election policy. The Ballot Bulletin tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. Each email contains in-depth data from our Election Administration Legislation Tracker. You'll also be able to track relevant legislation, with links to and summaries of the bills themselves.
Recent issues
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- The Ballot Bulletin: November 22, 2024
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Ballotpedia's election coverage
- United States Senate Democratic Party primaries, 2024
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See also
- 2024 election dates and deadlines
- Voter ID in Arizona
- Election administration in Arizona
- Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Arizona
Elections in Arizona
- Arizona elections, 2024
- Arizona elections, 2023
- Arizona elections, 2022
- Arizona elections, 2021
- Arizona elections, 2020
- Arizona elections, 2019
- Arizona elections, 2018
- Arizona elections, 2017
- Arizona elections, 2016
- Arizona elections, 2015
- Arizona elections, 2014
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Arizona Secretary of State, "Voters," accessed July 18, 2024
- ↑ Arizona Secretary of State, "Arizona Voter Registration Instructions," accessed July 18, 2024
- ↑ Arizona Revised Statutes, "Title 16, Section 565," accessed July 18, 2024
- ↑ Arizona generally observes Mountain Standard Time; however, the Navajo Nation observes daylight saving time. Because of this, Mountain Daylight Time is sometimes observed in Arizona.
- ↑ ArizonaElections.gov, "What ID Do I Need to Vote Quiz," accessed March 14, 2023
- ↑ Arizona State Legislature, “Arizona Revised Statutes 16-579,” accessed July 19, 2024
- ↑ Arizona State Legislature, “Arizona Revised Statutes 16-541,” accessed July 19, 2024
- ↑ Arizona State Legislature, “Arizona Revised Statutes 16-547,” accessed July 19, 2024
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Felon Voting Rights," April 6, 2023
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Arizona Legislature, "HB2492," accessed April 6, 2022
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Office of Public Affairs, U.S. Department of Justice, "Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against the State of Arizona Over Restrictive Voter Registration Requirements," July 5, 2022
- ↑ Democracy Docket, "Majority of Arizona Counties Will Not Enforce New Voter Purge Laws," January 25, 2023
- ↑ [www.azcentral.com%2Fstory%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2Felections%2F2023%2F09%2F15%2Fdoug-ducey-signed-laws-that-ban-certain-people-from-voting-by-mail-or-in-state-elections%2F70857991007%2F&gps-source=CPROADBLOCKDH&gca-cat=p&slug=restricted&gnt-eid=control azcentral.com, "US judge blocks 2 Arizona voting laws, saying feds, not state, govern voting rights," September 15, 2023]
- ↑ [www.azcentral.com%2Fstory%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2Felections%2F2023%2F09%2F15%2Fdoug-ducey-signed-laws-that-ban-certain-people-from-voting-by-mail-or-in-state-elections%2F70857991007%2F&gps-source=CPROADBLOCKDH&gca-cat=p&slug=restricted&gnt-eid=control azcentral.com, "US judge blocks 2 Arizona voting laws, saying feds, not state, govern voting rights," September 15, 2023]
- ↑ Office of Public Affairs, Department of Justice, "Court Finds That Arizona Voter Registration Provisions Violate Federal Law," March 1, 2024
- ↑ United States Supreme Court, "REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE, ET AL. APPLICANTS, v. MI FAMILIA VOTA, ET AL., APPENDIX TO EMERGENCY APPLICATION FOR STAY," August 1, 2024
- ↑ CBS News, "Supreme Court partially revives Arizona voter proof-of-citizenship requirement," August 22, 2024
- ↑ Arizona Legislature, "Bill History for SB1485," accessed May 25, 2021
- ↑ Office of the Governor of Arizona, "Re: Senate Bill 1485 (early voting list; eligibility)," May 11, 2021
- ↑ NPR, "Arizona Republicans Enact Sweeping Changes To State's Early Voting List," May 11, 2021
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