PHOENIX — Wednesday is the first day of early voting and the start of early ballots being mailed out for the presidential preference election.
Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer said, historically, 85% of those who participate in Arizona elections, vote by mail.
What’s unique about this presidential preference election held on March 19, is it only pertains to Republicans and Democrats on their choices.
Republicans make up 34% of voter registration totals in our state, Democrats make up 28% and Independents make up 35%.
County Recorder Richer said Arizona isn’t quite a red, blue, or purple state, but rather a “magenta” state, leaning Republican.
Independents are not eligible to vote in the Presidential Preference Election unless they changed their party affiliation by the deadline on February 20.
Richer pointed out that over the past several years, more new voter registrants are labeling themselves as Independents.
”That all means races will be very competitive in Maricopa County. That’s part of the reason so much attention has been paid to Maricopa County — of the 10 largest voting jurisdictions in the United States, we’re the only one that is very competitive. You think of places like Los Angeles County that is overwhelming Democratic, but here in Maricopa County, we’re going to have close elections and we make up 62% of the voting population in Arizona. And that’s why Arizona is having these highly competitive elections,” he said.
The choices for president may seem clear at this point in the race – so we asked Richer if this election will even matter in the end.
“People from the Nikki Haley camp would contest that and say, 'we’re still fighting in every single state. We expect to be on the ballot in Arizona,'” he said.
He added: “Do I expect that will depress turnout a bit? Yeah. This isn’t like 2016. Where both party nominations were pretty wide open - with Bernie Sanders competing with Hilary Clinton - and it was a wide-open field in the Republican primary.”
So, once you receive your ballot, you can return it by mail, or drop it off at a secure ballot drop box or voting location.
You can go to the county recorder's website to find out where the closest drop box is in your area — some are inside buildings and some are drive-ups.
You can also vote in person.
If you do that, an election worker will void your mail ballot and give you a replacement ballot to vote on.
You can track your ballot at my.arizona.vote.
To know how you’re registered or if you can expect a ballot in your mailbox, visit BeBallotReady.vote.
