In 2022, the Arizona Attorney General’s race was decided by 280 votes; in the primary election in July, just 39 votes separated two congressional candidates.

Our elections this fall could be decided by just a few votes. That makes it all the more important that we check our registration and make a plan to vote. Voting early, by mail, is safe and secure, and people who are registered to vote by mail are more likely to vote. This year’s ballot will be two pages; it will take time to fill out, and lines could be long on Election Day. (Don’t mix up your second page with another voter or your second page will not be counted.)

Eighty percent of us vote by mail. If you have moved in the last few years or you haven’t used your mailed ballot for several election cycles, you could be an inactive voter or you might have been taken off the Active Early Voting List (AEVL). Check your status. And be sure to sign up to track your ballot; you will be notified when your ballot has been sent to you, when it is received back in the Recorder’s Office, when your signature has been verified, and when your ballot has been counted. If you include your phone number on your outside envelope, you will be called if there are any questions about the validity of your signature. 

You will be voting on federal, legislative, county and local elections. It is incredibly important to vote your entire ballot. School board elections might be some of the most important contests on your ballot, but they are non-partisan elections and you need to do your research before you vote. Here is a link to the SOS Arizona School Board candidates: #PublicSchoolProud.

One of the reasons your ballot is so long this year is that it includes so many ballot propositions. Because our governor had veto authority over partisan legislation these last two years, Republican lawmakers referred 11 measures to the ballot; there are also two citizen initiatives and two important Maricopa County ballot measures. Prop 479 extends a half penny sales tax for transportation infrastructure, and Prop 486 allows our 10 community colleges to raise the artificial expenditure limit that was put in place in by voters in 1980.  

For information and recommendations on the ballot propositions, there are links here to two guides produced by the non-partisan organization, Civic Engagement Beyond Voting:

If you need any other information about voting or voter registration, contact Jane McNamara at janehmcnamara@gmail.com.