PHOENIX — Arizona's Presidential Preference Election will be held on Tuesday, March 19.
Here's everything you need to know to make your voice heard:
What is the Presidential Preference Election?
Arizona's Presidential Preference Election, or PPE, is an election that allows voters to cast their vote for their party's nominee for president. This is not the same as Arizona's primary election, where you can vote for a number of issues. This year's primary election will be held on July 30.
Who can vote in the Presidential Preference Election?
In Arizona, only registered Republicans and Democrats can vote in the PPE. Republicans will vote in the Republican Presidential Preference Election and Democrats will vote in the Democratic Presidential Preference Election. Independents, who make up about 34% of registered voters in Maricopa County according to Recorder Stephen Richer, are unable to vote in the PPE. Independents are able to vote in the primary election and the general election in November.
If I don't vote in the Presidential Preference Election, can I still vote in November?
Yes.
Why am I seeing 2024 presidential candidates who have dropped out of the race on my PPE ballot?
Candidates can say they are no longer running for president, but they must file paperwork in each state to formally withdraw from a race.
According to Richer, most candidates do not file that paperwork, even after dropping out. Even if they did, in most cases it would not happen in time to have the candidate's name removed from the early voting ballots. Early, or mail-in, ballots must be printed and mailed weeks before an election. Candidates like South Carolina's Nikki Haley only dropped out after Super Tuesday, not giving ballot printers enough time to remove her name from the ballot.
"It is not, unfortunately, as easy as flipping a light switch and removing somebody from the ballot," Richer explained.
How do I find my polling place or a ballot deposit box?
You can find locations and a map for both at locations.maricopa.vote. Simply type in your address and you'll be able to find your polling place. Dozens of ballot drop boxes are already placed around Maricopa County.
You can also see the hours of different voting locations and wait times for polling places.
Over 120 voting locations will be open in Maricopa County by Tuesday.
What do I do if I still haven't sent in my mail-in ballot?
Mail-in ballots, or early ballots, are a popular option for voting in Arizona. About 85% of voters in Maricopa County vote via mail-in ballot, according to Richer. If you're part of that majority, you have until 7 p.m. to drop it off on Tuesday. At this point, do not mail your ballot in.
"They work hard, but they won't get it to us by 7 p.m. (Tuesday) night," Richer said of USPS.
Drop off your ballot directly at a voting location or drop box. If you have a mail-in ballot filled out already, you will not need to wait in line to drop it off at a voting location.
What if I already received a mail-in ballot, but want to vote in person?
You can, and your vote will not be counted twice.
"The second that you show up to an early voting location and check in, it automatically deactivates your early ballot packet," Richer explained.
What if I can't drop off my mail-in ballot myself?
Arizona law permits some people to be able to drop off ballots on behalf of someone else, but there are very limited circumstances in which this can happen. In Arizona, early ballots can be delivered by someone in your family, in your household, or by someone who is your caretaker.
"You cannot, however, just go door to door in your neighborhood and say, 'hey, if you haven't dropped off your early ballot then I'm going that way, feel free to give me [yours]," Richer said. That situation outlined by Richer would fall under ballot harvesting, which is illegal in Arizona.
What hours can I vote on Tuesday?
Polling locations open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. As long as you are in line by 7 p.m., you can still vote.
Got more questions?
You can find more answers directly from Maricopa County and the Arizona Secretary of State.
Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes answered common questions Tuesday about the election. Hear more in the video player below:
