Everything to know about voting in the 2024 primary in Maricopa County

If you couldn't already tell by the campaign signs peppering the side of every major road, Maricopa County is gearing up for a primary election. Between July 3 and July 30, voters in Arizona's most populous county will cast their ballots to narrow down races for seats in Congress, the state legislature and sheriff, county attorney and several city-specific offices.

Here's everything you need to know to make your vote count.

How do I register to vote in Maricopa County?

If you'd like to register to vote, or verify your current voter registration status, you can do so via ServiceArizona. You'll need an Arizona driver's license or state identification card to register online. Click on the "voter registration" button, and the website will guide you through the process. The deadline to register for the primary is July 1.

If you don't have a state-issued ID — or would prefer not to register online — you can mail in a paper voter registration form or drop one off with the county. That form and information about the process can be found on the Maricopa County Elections Department website.

If you’re registering with a paper form, you’ll need to include a photocopy of one of the following documents: Arizona driver's license or Arizona non-operating ID, birth certificate, photo identification page of U.S. passport or passport card, U.S. Certificate of Naturalization or Alien Registration Number, or Bureau of Indian Affairs or tribal ID card.

Paper registration forms can be mailed to the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office at 111 S. Third Ave., #102, Phoenix, AZ, 85003, or placed in the secure elections dropbox located at 510 S. Third Ave. in downtown Phoenix.

Don't know if you're registered or not? Use Maricopa County's Be Ballot Ready tool to check your status. Plug in your name, date of birth, home address number and driver's license number, and the form will let you know whether or not you're registered.

How can I vote by mail?

Arizona accommodates two different mail-in voting methods. Absentee ballots enable Americans living abroad and active duty service members stationed overseas to cast their votes by mail without returning to the U.S. The ballot-by-mail program meanwhile sends your ballot to your home address on an ongoing or case-by-case basis — the choice is yours. The latter is a great option for those who aren't confident they'll be able to reach a polling place on Election Day.

To check if you qualify for an absentee ballot, visit the Arizona Secretary of State's overseas voter registration web page. To sign up for a one-time or ongoing mail-in ballot, check out the Secretary of State's early voting web page. You'll need to sign up for the one-time mail-in ballot or Active Early Voting List at least 11 days prior to the election — in this case, on or before July 19 — to participate.

Mail ballots will begin arriving July 3.

When can I vote?

Election Day is July 30. To find your nearest polling place, use Maricopa County's Where to Vote tool. You'll have from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. to get in line. If you're still in line after 7 p.m., stay there until you've reached the ballot box. Polling places are required to allow everyone in line before closing time to vote.

In the rare instance your polling place closed early, call the Election Protection Hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE.

Mail-in ballots can be dropped in the mail or an official ballot dropbox starting July 3. They must be postmarked on or before Election Day in order to qualify. Once you've dropped your ballot in the mail, you can track its status with Maricopa County's Ballot Be Ready tool.

Which statewide races are on the ballot?

With Sen. Kyrsten Sinema leaving office in January, current U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego is running uncontested for her seat in the Democratic primary. Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb is challenging failed gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake for the Republican nomination.

Community organizer Eduardo Quintana, public lands advocate Michael Norton and the mysterious (and seemingly illegitimate) Arturo Hernandez are running for Senate in the Green Party primary.

Voters will also choose which two Arizona Corporate Commission candidates from each party to advance to the November general election.

What are the major U.S. House races?

Some of this year's U.S. House primaries are wackier than others.

The Republican primary in the 8th Congressional District is a hot mess. Republicans Blake Masters and Abe Hamadeh have spent the last two years in a MAGA bro fight worthy of its own reality TV show, and this summer, they'll be up against five other party members for the same seat in Congress.

Meanwhile, the Democratic primary in the 3rd Congressional District features a neck-and-neck battle between Yassamin Ansari and Raquel Terán.

Not sure which district you're in? Find out using the Be Ballot Ready tool, which uses your voter registration details to tell you which races will be on your ballot.

What are the major state Legislature races?

Incumbent state Sen. Ken Bennett, an old-school conservative, is running against far-right Republican and former state Rep. Mark Finchem for the GOP state Senate nomination in Legislative District 1. Whoever wins the primary will go up against uncontested Democrat Mike Fogel this fall.

Four Democrats are vying for a spot on November's ballot in the Legislative District 5 race, including incumbents Rep. Charles Lucking and Sarah Liguori, both of whom were appointed to their positions. They face public school funding advocate Aaron Márquez and longtime public policy veteran Dorri Thyden.

To figure out which legislative district you live in and who your current representatives are, use the Arizona State Legislature's interactive map. You can see which aspiring state legislators will be on your ballot via the Secretary of State's 2024 primaries page.

Which county races should I look out for?

Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell is hoping to hold onto her seat in this year’s Republican primary, even if her latest campaign ad puts her off to a bad start. She's running against former county attorney staffer Gina Godbehere. Whoever wins will face uncontested Democrat Tamika Wooten in the general election.

Republican Stephen Richer, the county's incumbent recorder who stood firm against election deniers from his own party, will go up against Justin Heap and Donald Hiatt in the Republican primary. Democrats only get one choice for county recorder: Timothy Stringham, a U.S. Army and Navy veteran who claims to be passionate about voting accessibility.

Sheriff Russ Skinner is running against Phoenix police officer Tyler Kamp in the Democratic primary. Former Drug Enforcement Agency agent Mike Crawford, former Arizona Department of Public Safety head Frank Milstead and former Sheriff Joe Arpaio darling Jerry Sheridan are running for sheriff in the GOP primary.

Want to learn more about upcoming county races? You can see every candidate for every county race on this Maricopa County election chart.

Which city-level elections are happening?

The following primary elections are happening in the following cities:

• Apache Junction: Mayor, city council
• Avondale: Mayor, city council
• Buckeye: Mayor, city council
• Carefree: City council
• Cave Creek: Mayor, city council
• Chandler: Mayor, city council
• El Mirage: City council
• Fountain Hills: Mayor, city council
• Gila Bend: City council
• Gilbert: Mayor, city council
• Glendale: Mayor, city council
• Goodyear: City council
• Guadalupe: Mayor, city council
• Litchfield Park: City council
• Mesa: Mayor, City council
• Paradise Valley: Mayor, city council
• Peoria: City council
• Phoenix: Mayor, city council
• Queen Creek: City council
• Scottsdale: Mayor, city council
• Surprise: Mayor, city council
• Tempe: Mayor, city council
• Tolleson: Mayor, city council
• Wickenburg: Mayor, city council
• Youngtown: City council