Elections

Maricopa County Elections provides voter registration, early voting, mail ballot, in-person voting, ballot tracking, candidate and contest information, election results, and other election services for county voters. This article explains which county office handles each part of the election process, how to prepare before voting, where to verify personalized election information, how to avoid common ballot and registration problems, and where to find official election dates, voting locations, and results.

How County Elections Are Managed

Maricopa County Elections administers elections for cities, towns, school districts, special districts, state contests, and federal contests within Maricopa County. Election responsibilities are divided between the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and the Maricopa County Recorder rather than being handled entirely by a single office.

The Board of Supervisors is responsible for candidate and campaign filings, emergency and Election Day in-person voting, hiring election workers, and processing and tabulating ballots. The Recorder's Office handles voter registration, early in-person voting, and mail voting. Knowing this division can help residents direct registration and early-voting matters to the appropriate service while recognizing that ballot processing, Election Day operations, and candidate filings fall under other county election responsibilities.

The county's election website brings these functions together for voters. It provides election dates, voter registration information, voting locations, mail ballot services, ballot status information, candidate and contest information, and election results.

2026 Election Dates

Maricopa County Elections is administering several elections during 2026. The county's official election calendar identifies a March 10 jurisdictional election, a May 19 jurisdictional election, the July 21 Primary Election, and the November 3 General Election.

For the November 3, 2026 General Election, several dates affect registration and voting:

September 19: Military and overseas ballots are mailed.
October 5: Voter registration deadline.
October 7: Ballots are mailed and early voting begins.
October 23: Last day to request a replacement ballot by mail.
October 27: Last day to mail a ballot back.
November 3: Election Day.

Election dates should be checked for the specific election in which a voter is participating. Local jurisdictional elections do not necessarily follow every date associated with a countywide Primary or General Election. The county election calendar is the appropriate place to confirm which election is being administered and which deadlines apply.

Voter Registration Requirements

Voters should confirm their registration before relying on a ballot mailing or planning an in-person visit. The county's voter registration information states that a voter generally must be registered 29 days before an election to be eligible to vote in that election.

Arizona voter registration eligibility described by Maricopa County includes the following requirements:

The person must be a citizen of the United States.
The person must be 18 years old on or before the date of the next general election.
The person must have been an Arizona resident for the 29 days preceding the election.
A person convicted of a felony or treason must have had civil rights restored.
The person must be able to write a name or make a mark unless physically disabled.
The person must not have been adjudicated an incapacitated person under the cited Arizona law.

The county provides online registration or registration updates through Service Arizona as well as Arizona and federal paper registration forms. Registration records should also be updated after a move, name change, or change in political party affiliation.

Online registration updates are available only to voters with an Arizona driver's license or state identification card. A voter using that method should enter a name that matches the driver's license or state ID record. Paper registration forms may also be completed, dated, signed, and returned as directed by the Recorder's Office.

Registration Before an Election

Do not assume that receiving election-related mail means every part of a voter record is current. An outdated residential address can affect personalized ballot information and which contests apply to a voter. A party affiliation can also matter in elections in which participation depends on party registration or ballot selection.

Independent voters may participate in a Primary Election by requesting an eligible partisan ballot as described by Maricopa County Elections. Requesting a partisan Primary ballot does not change the voter's political party registration. The Presidential Preference Election is different: the county states that voters must be registered with a participating political party, and voters registered as independent or without a party preference cannot participate in that election.

Personalized Voter Information

The county's Voter Dashboard login provides personalized election information for Maricopa County residents. Depending on the election, voters can use the dashboard to review registration status, ballot status, upcoming election information, and other information associated with their voter record.

The dashboard requires specific identifying information. The first step asks for all three of the following:

Date of birth.
Last name.
House address number within Maricopa County.

The voter must then provide one additional identity-verification item: either the last four digits of the Social Security number or a driver's license number. The login process also requires completion of the displayed CAPTCHA.

Entering only a street name instead of the requested house number, omitting required fields, or entering information that does not match the voter record can prevent access. Voters who are protected persons or members of the Address Confidentiality Program cannot access the BeBallotReady dashboard and are directed by the county to contact the election office with questions.

Voting Locations and Drop Boxes

Maricopa County provides Vote Centers and ballot drop boxes for applicable elections. The official voting location search allows users to look for a voting location or drop box and review facility hours.

For the November 3, 2026 General Election, Vote Centers are scheduled to begin opening 27 days before Election Day. Because locations and hours can change, voters should verify the current facility information before traveling.

Better Location Search Results

The county provides specific guidance for entering an address into its location search. Using the auto-populate feature can reduce address-entry errors. When entering an address manually, providing the house number, complete street name, city, and ZIP code can improve the search result.

Voters should use the full street designation, such as Avenue or Street, rather than abbreviating it when possible. Unit numbers such as apartment or suite numbers should not be included, and house-number suffixes such as “1/2” should also be omitted. A voter who wants locations within a particular city, town, or ZIP code may search using those details.

The location tool may display filters for in-person voting sites and drop-box-only locations. A drop box should not be treated as an in-person voting site unless the location information specifically indicates that in-person voting is available there.

Identification for In-Person Voting

Every voter voting in person must provide proof of identity. The county's official polling-place ID requirements organize acceptable identification into three lists.

List One Identification

A voter may present one acceptable photo identification that includes the voter's name and address. Listed examples include a valid Arizona driver license, Arizona non-operating identification license, tribal enrollment card or other tribal identification, and valid federal, state, or local government-issued identification.

The county states that identification is considered valid unless it can be determined from the document itself that it has expired. Address matching also matters. When the address does not match the voter record as required, additional identification or a provisional voting process may apply.

List Two Identification

A voter without qualifying List One identification may provide two forms of non-photo identification bearing the voter's name and address. Examples listed by the county include:

A qualifying utility bill dated within 90 days of the election.
A bank or credit union statement dated within 90 days of the election.
Valid Arizona vehicle registration.
A property tax statement for the voter's residence.
A tribal enrollment card or other qualifying tribal identification.
A vehicle insurance card.
Qualifying government-issued identification.
A voter registration card or Recorder's certification.
Official election material bearing the voter's name and address.

Mixed Identification Options

List Three permits certain combinations of documents. A valid picture ID from List One with an address that does not match the voter record can be paired with a List Two document containing an address that does match. A U.S. passport or U.S. military identification may also be paired with an appropriate List Two document.

A digital Voter Registration Card can be obtained through the voter dashboard. The county identifies the digital card as acceptable under List Two, so another qualifying List Two document is needed when it is being used under that category rather than as qualifying List One identification.

Mail Ballot Choices

Maricopa County voters have different ways to receive ballots by mail depending on the type of election and their enrollment status. The county's mail ballot request service explains one-time ballot requests and the Active Early Voting List.

For the November 3 General Election, a voter can request a one-time ballot to be mailed to the residential or mailing address on the voter record. A voter who will temporarily be away may also request delivery to a temporary mailing address.

Arizona election materials such as ballots are not forwarded by the Post Office. A voter who expects to be somewhere other than the address where the ballot would normally be mailed should request a temporary mailing address rather than relying on mail forwarding.

Active Early Voting List

The Active Early Voting List, or AEVL, allows eligible registered voters to automatically receive a ballot by mail for elections in which they are eligible. Voters on AEVL must have an Arizona mailing address. According to the county, ballots for voters on the list are mailed 27 days before an election.

The Active Early Voting List was previously called the Permanent Early Voting List. A voter who was already enrolled in the former Permanent Early Voting List was automatically placed on AEVL and does not need to sign up again solely because of the name change.

A voter may be removed from AEVL after failing to cast an early ballot in at least one candidate election over two consecutive federal election cycles and failing to respond to an official Elections Department notice. Removal from AEVL does not by itself mean the voter is no longer registered to vote.

One-Time Ballot Requests

Only registered voters may request a ballot by mail. For a written one-time request, the county identifies information including the voter's full name, residential address, date of birth, and the election for which the ballot is requested. This option can be useful when a voter does not want automatic mail ballots for every eligible election.

A damaged mail ballot can also be replaced. Replacement-by-mail requests have an election-specific deadline, so voters should not delay once a ballot has been damaged or cannot be used. The November 2026 calendar identifies October 23 as the last day to request a replacement ballot by mail for that General Election.

Returning a Mail Ballot

For the November 3 General Election, the official calendar identifies October 27 as the last day to mail a ballot back. Voters returning a ballot later in the voting period should use the county's available drop-off options rather than assuming a mailed ballot will arrive by the required deadline.

Mail ballots use a green affidavit envelope. The voter must sign the affidavit envelope because the Elections Department compares the signature with known signatures in the official voter registration record and past affidavit signatures. The county recommends providing a phone number on the affidavit envelope so election staff can contact the voter if a signature needs additional attention.

A ballot should not be considered complete simply because selections have been marked. Returning it using the required envelope and providing the required signature are part of the mail-ballot process.

Ballot Status and Alerts

Maricopa County tracks ballots through several stages. Voters may receive notifications when an early ballot is prepared, mailed, received, verified, and counted. In-person voters can also receive an alert indicating that they cast a ballot at a voting location.

Voters can enroll in ballot status notifications by texting “JOIN” to 628-683. Message and data rates may apply. The same notification system can also provide updates concerning voter registration information. Ballot status alerts are available during an election.

The Voter Dashboard also provides an online method for reviewing ballot status. Checking the status after returning a mail ballot can help a voter determine whether the ballot has progressed through receipt, verification, and counting rather than assuming delivery alone means processing is complete.

Provisional Ballot Procedures

A provisional ballot is used when a voter's eligibility cannot be immediately confirmed at a voting location. Maricopa County describes provisional voting as a safeguard that allows a voter to cast a ballot while election staff research the eligibility issue.

Reasons a provisional ballot may be issued include a voter not appearing in the check-in system, a possible registration or eligibility issue, insufficient identification, records indicating that a ballot may already have been cast, voting at an incorrect location during precinct-based voting, or an eligibility challenge.

There are regular provisional ballots and conditional provisional ballots. Most regular provisional ballots do not require additional action from the voter. Election staff research eligibility and count the ballot when eligibility can be confirmed.

A conditional provisional ballot is issued when the voter cannot provide the required identity documents. That voter must provide sufficient identification within the applicable post-election deadline. Voters should retain the provisional ballot receipt they receive because the affidavit ID on that document is used to check provisional ballot status.

What Appears on Your Ballot

The contests shown to an individual voter depend on residence and the jurisdictions in which that person is registered. Maricopa County elections can include federal, statewide, county, city or town, school district, special taxing district, judicial, and ballot-measure contests.

The county's election information explains that the Arizona Secretary of State is the filing officer for federal, statewide, and legislative contests. Maricopa County handles information associated with countywide races and certain county offices and special taxing districts. Cities, towns, school districts, and other local jurisdictions handle additional local candidate and ballot-measure information.

Voters can view a personalized sample ballot through the Voter Dashboard before an election. The county states that sample ballots are usually available 45 days before Election Day. Reviewing the personalized sample ballot is more reliable than assuming that every voter in Maricopa County receives the same contests.

Write-in candidates generally do not have their names printed on the ballot. Qualified write-in candidates may still receive votes. A withdrawn candidate may remain printed on a ballot even though that person is no longer qualified and votes cast for the withdrawn candidate are not valid.

Military and Overseas Voting

Military members, eligible family members, and certain overseas citizens have a separate process under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. The county's military and overseas voter information explains Federal Post Card Application procedures, ballot requests, registration, and ballot return options for qualifying voters.

Qualifying categories include certain active-duty uniformed personnel and family members stationed outside Maricopa County or the United States, eligible overseas citizens whose return is uncertain, and eligible citizens temporarily residing outside the United States.

The Federal Post Card Application can be used to register and request an absentee ballot at the same time. It may also be used to update contact information. The Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot is described as an emergency backup ballot for a qualified military or overseas voter who does not receive an absentee ballot in time.

The county states that ballots must be sent to UOCAVA voters at least 45 days before an election. For the November 3, 2026 General Election, the county calendar identifies September 19 as the military and overseas ballot mailing date. UOCAVA voters have mail, fax, and email return options described by the Elections Department, and the ballot and signed affidavit must be received by the county election team no later than 7:00 p.m. Arizona time on Election Day.

Election Results and Certification

The Maricopa County election results page posts unofficial results beginning at 8:00 p.m. on Election Day and updates results as additional ballots are tabulated. Results remain unofficial until they are canvassed.

The first Election Night results include early ballots that have already completed required processing and have been tabulated by Election Day. In-person Election Day ballots cast through on-site tabulators are added as results from voting locations are returned and incorporated into the election system.

Some early ballots are returned late in the voting period, including on Election Day. These ballots still require the applicable processing steps before they can be included in later result updates. As a result, an Election Night total should not be interpreted as the final number of votes cast.

Maricopa County states that early and provisional ballots are counted in its Ballot Tabulation Center. The county describes controls including restricted access, continuous camera monitoring, political party oversight during tabulation, an air-gapped tabulation system, and accuracy testing before and after elections.

Ballot Marking Issues

If a voter marks more choices in a contest than permitted, the contest is an overvote. No vote is counted for that particular contest, but the voter's properly marked choices in other contests can still be counted. An undervote occurs when a voter makes fewer selections than allowed or makes no selection in a contest; valid selections elsewhere on the ballot are still counted.

When tabulation equipment cannot read a contest on a ballot, the county states that a bipartisan team reviews a digital copy before the ballot can be counted. This process is subject to observation as part of the county's tabulation procedures.

Election Questions and Office Visits

Maricopa County Elections separates inquiries by subject. Voter registration and early voting inquiries can address registration changes, mail-ballot status, military and overseas questions, replacement ballots, signatures, and provisional ballots. Election information inquiries can address in-person voting, Vote Centers, drop boxes, election workers, tabulation, and results.

The county's official Elections contact page also distinguishes candidate and campaign-finance questions from general voter questions. Visits to the main Maricopa County Elections facility are by appointment only Monday through Friday. Voters who need in-person assistance should confirm the service and current office availability before traveling, particularly because the Mesa Elections location is identified by the county as temporarily closed.

Common Election Mistakes

Several common problems can be avoided by confirming information before deadlines rather than waiting until Election Day. A voter should not assume registration automatically updates after moving, that postal forwarding will redirect an official ballot, or that a photo ID with an outdated address automatically satisfies every in-person identification requirement.

Other mistakes include entering incomplete address information in the voting-location search, adding apartment or suite numbers when the location tool does not request them, failing to sign a mail-ballot affidavit envelope, mailing a ballot after the recommended return-by date, and discarding a provisional ballot receipt before checking the ballot's status.

Voters should also distinguish between the Active Early Voting List and voter registration itself. A person can remain registered even if removed from AEVL. Similarly, requesting a partisan ballot as an independent voter for an eligible Primary Election does not change that voter's party registration.

Election Night results are another area where misunderstandings occur. The figures released at 8:00 p.m. are unofficial and can change as additional valid ballots complete processing and tabulation. Official results are established through the canvass process rather than by the first posted totals.

Election Offices

Maricopa County Elections - MCTEC

510 S. 3rd Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85003
602-506-1511

Recorder's Office - Downtown

301 W. Jefferson St. #200
Phoenix, AZ 85003
602-506-1511

Maricopa County Elections – Mesa

222 E. Javelina Ave.
Mesa, AZ 85210
602-506-1511

UOCAVA Program Office

510 S. Third Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85003
602-506-1981

Elections FAQs

Can I put my early ballot into a tabulator at a Vote Center?

Yes. Beginning in 2026, Maricopa County provides an additional option for voters who already received an early ballot. On Election Day, a voter who has not already voted may bring that early ballot to a Vote Center, check in, show the required identification, and place the ballot into a tabulator designated for early ballots. Ballots tabulated this way are included in Election Night results. Before Election Day, voters may also bring a sealed early ballot to a Vote Center and verify their identity so the ballot does not require the usual signature-verification process. See the county's 2026 early ballot voting options.

Do I need to request a ballot for an all-mail election?

No. In an election officially conducted entirely by mail, eligible registered voters automatically receive a ballot. This differs from traditional countywide elections, when automatic early ballots generally go to voters enrolled in the Active Early Voting List. A voter who will be away from home during an all-mail election can make a one-time request to have the ballot sent to a temporary mailing address. The county explains these differences on its mail ballot request page.

Can someone held in jail before sentencing still vote?

Maricopa County states that a person who has been detained but has not been sentenced may still vote if otherwise eligible. During a federal election, voting instructions may be provided through Maricopa County Sheriff's Office inmate tablets or posted in common areas. Detainees can obtain voter registration and ballot-request forms through Inmate Legal Services, along with a prepaid envelope for submitting the request. The ballot can then be mailed to the jail for voting.

What happens if my absentee ballot arrives after I used a federal backup ballot?

A qualifying military or overseas voter who used a Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot because the official absentee ballot did not arrive in time may still complete and return the official ballot if it later arrives. Maricopa County states that only one ballot will be counted. Eligibility requirements and procedures are detailed on the county's military and overseas voting page.