Election officials want people to plan how they will vote this fall as the ballots are longer than they’ve been for roughly two decades.
On Wednesday, Maricopa County Elections unveiled the new ballots as they work to print more than 21,000 different ballot styles tailored for each community.
This year will be the first time Maricopa County voters have seen a two-page ballot since 2006.
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The ballot length is due to the large number of decisions voters will have to make, from individual races to a high number of propositions.
According to the county, there are 265 contests, including 144 elected offices, 45 judges, and 76 ballot measures across all ballots.
Many of those propositions come from lawmakers as a way to possibly change laws, without needing the governor's signature on a bill.
This year, the county is also expecting record voter turnout.
“Because of that and the longer than normal ballot, we’re going to have longer than normal lines,” Maricopa County Deputy Elections Director Jennifer Liewer said.
That’s why officials are urging people to consider voting early, either in person or by mail.
Sample ballots will be available to voters online at BeBallotReady.Vote in the next few weeks. The deadline to register to vote is October 7, with early voting starting October 9.
