Arizona primary election early voting begins as ballots hit mailboxes
Early voting underway with high-stakes primary races on the ballot
Early voting is underway for the July 21 Arizona primary election. More than 1.4 million ballots have been mailed to residents in Maricopa County, and campaigns are shifting their focus to voter turnout. FOX 10's Jacob Luthi reports.
PHOENIX - Early voting is now underway for Arizona’s July 21 primary election, with ballots beginning to arrive in mailboxes across the state for voters enrolled on the Active Early Voting List.
What we know:
With less than a month until Primary Election Day, political strategists say voters can expect a surge of campaign outreach as candidates compete for attention in several high-profile races.
"You have to be on your best campaign. You have to be running on all cylinders the day those early ballots arrive," said Chuck Coughlin, CEO of HighGround Inc.
As ballots are mailed this week, campaigns are ramping up efforts to reach voters through advertisements, mail, text messages and phone calls.
"When you get that ballot out, your piece of mail should be there right with it," Coughlin said. "And then the text should arrive the same day, and then your automated phone call should arrive the same day."
What you can do:
According to Coughlin, more than 80% of Arizona voters are signed up to receive their ballots early. Voters can return completed ballots by mail or at secure drop boxes throughout the state.
This year’s primary ballot includes several closely watched statewide contests, including races for governor, attorney general and superintendent of public instruction. Voters will also decide competitive congressional primaries, including Arizona’s 1st Congressional District, which covers parts of Phoenix, Scottsdale and Cave Creek.
Why you should care:
Despite the high-profile races, pollsters say many voters have yet to make up their minds.
"Attorney general, Secretary of State, etc.— they have way higher undecided rates," Mike Noble, the founder and CEO of Noble Predictive Insights said. "I mean, some races up to 80% are undecided."
Big picture view:
Noble said voter sentiment in the primary could also be influenced by national political dynamics.
"Democrats are a little bit more enthused right now to turn out, compared to Republicans, who kind of have all the keys to the kingdom right now and national drives a lot of local elections," Noble said.
Midterm elections are often viewed as a referendum on the party in power, and Noble said President Donald Trump’s approval rating could affect voter enthusiasm and turnout. At the same time, Coughlin said a Trump endorsement continues to carry significant weight in Republican primaries.
"So you find most Republican voters, most Republicans who have his support win their primary," Coughlin said.
Local perspective:
Arizona operates under a semi-closed primary system. Registered Republicans and Democrats vote in their respective party primaries, while independent voters may choose which party’s ballot they wish to cast. Coughlin said independent voters’ ballot requests could provide an early signal of broader electoral trends heading into the general election.
"Independents are tending to request Democratic vote ballots more, which would lead you to believe that in the general election, they're going to vote on the Democratic side of the ticket," he said.
What's next:
By June 24, Maricopa County had already mailed nearly 1.4 million ballots to residents. Election officials recommend voters return ballots by mail no later than July 14 to ensure timely delivery. All ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day in order to be counted.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from the CEO of HighGround Inc., the CEO and founder of Noble Predictive Insights, and Maricopa County.