Does Arizona have a presidential primary? What you need to know
When Republicans and Democrats in Arizona vote on their choice of their party's presidential nominee every four years, it's not called a primary.
On March 19, 2024, Arizona will hold its presidential preference election.
Then, on July 30, the primary election rolls out. The general election will be Nov. 5, the first Tuesday in November.
What is the difference between a presidential preference election and a primary in Arizona?
The preference election replaced the standard primary more than 30 years ago.
In 1992, lawmakers established the presidential preference primary election. They wanted to get on the Super Tuesday bandwagon, where early statewide election results can give a sense of momentum to a presidential candidate.
The bill took effect too late for the 1992 presidential race. In 1995, as the next presidential cycle was nearing, lawmakers amended the law to re-label it as a "preference election," rather than a primary.
The intent was to convey that the results would reflect voters' preferences.
The preference election differed from a primary, according to a 1999 legal opinion from the state Attorney General's Office, because the actual winner of the preference election might not necessarily be the name listed on the fall general election ballot.
Presidential nominees are picked by the party delegates at their political conventions, although the Arizona law notes delegates should make their "best efforts" to honor the winner of the preference election.
Does Arizona have caucuses like Iowa?
No. The difference between caucuses and presidential nominating contests, like Arizona's presidential preference election, is largely based on how they are run.
Caucuses are political meetings run by state political parties. Arizona's presidential preference election is administered by county officials and overseen by the state's formal election apparatus.
Both allocate delegates to political party conventions based on the outcome.
When is the 2024 presidential preference election in Arizona?
It will be March 19. By law, the ballot can only deal with presidential candidates.
Who is on the ballot in Arizona?
Secretary of State Adrian Fontes in December announced nine Republicans qualified for Arizona's presidential preference election. Among them are former President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, who finished first, second and third respectively, in Iowa.
Republicans Vivek Ramaswamy, Chris Christie and Asa Hutchinson also qualified in December but suspended their campaigns in the leadup to and aftermath of the Iowa caucuses.
President Joe Biden will be running in the presidential preference election on the Democratic side. Fontes announced in December six other Democrats qualified for the ballot: Frankie Lozada, Gabriel Cornejo, Marianne Williamson, Jason Palmer, Stephen Lyons and Dean Phillips.
If the Republican or Democratic nominee is already obvious, will Arizona's presidential preference election be canceled?
No. Only the state Republican and Democratic parties can cancel their preference elections, and the deadline for the parties to do so has passed.
If you vote for a candidate who has pulled out of the race, your vote will be still be counted — although it is highly unlikely that candidate would resume campaigning.
Who can vote in the presidential preference election?
Only registered voters of a recognized political party may vote.
How can an independent vote in a presidential preference election?
Voters who aren't registered with a political party cannot vote in the presidential preference election.
If they meet voter registration deadlines, independents can change their party affiliation to become a Republican or Democrat, vote in a presidential preference election and then re-register as an independent. But that takes some planning.
How do I register to vote?
In Arizona, you are qualified to register to vote if you are an American citizen, at least 18 years old before election day and a resident of Arizona for at least 29 days before the election.
You cannot register to vote if you are a convicted felon and your rights have not been restored, or if you have been adjudicated as an incapacitated person.
You can register to vote online if you have an Arizona driver's license or state ID. Otherwise, you'll need to register with a paper voter registration form. You can return the form to your county recorder by mail or drop it off.
If you register with a paper form, you'll see a section of the form that requires proof of citizenship.
The presidential preference election is considered a federal race, so you can vote in the election even if you do not submit proof of citizenship documents. However, you will be considered a "federal-only" voter and will not be able to vote a full ballot in the July primary election or November general election without updating your voter registration to include a photocopy of one of these documents:
Your Arizona driver's license.
Your Arizona non-operating identification card.
Your birth certificate.
The photo identification page of your U.S. passport or passport card.
Your naturalization documents.
Your alien registration number.
Your U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs or tribal identification card.
Arizona is the only state in the country that requires proof of citizenship in addition to a signed affidavit when you register to vote in state elections. You must be an American citizen to vote in all states, but most only require voters to sign an affidavit attesting that they are U.S. citizens under the penalty of perjury.
What is the voter registration deadline?
The voter registration deadline is Feb. 20. Any voter registered as a Republican or a Democrat by that date can vote in the presidential preference election.
How can I check my voter registration status?
You can check your registration status through My.Arizona.Vote.
To use the site, you'll need to provide one of the following:
Your driver's license number
Your tribal identification card number
The last four digits of your Social Security number
Can I vote by mail?
Yes. If you are a registered Republican or Democrat and you are on the Active Early Voting List, you will automatically be sent a ballot in the mail.
If you are not on the Active Early Voting List, you can request a one-time mailed ballot from your county recorder.
Once you receive your ballot, you can return it by mail or drop it off at a secure ballot drop box or voting location.
If you are returning your ballot by mail, postage is prepaid and does not require a stamp.
Most Arizona counties offer at least a handful of secure ballot drop boxes. Some are located inside polling places and are only accessible when those sites are open. Others are located outdoors and are available for voters at all times. To find ballot drop boxes in your area, check your county recorder's website.
Some overseas voters have the option of receiving and returning their ballots electronically.
I want to vote by mail. When do I need to send my ballot back?
If you're mailing back your ballot, you should put it in the mail no later than seven days before election day to ensure it is delivered on time. For the presidential preference election, that date is March 12.
All ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on election day to be counted.
I'm out of town. Will my ballot be forwarded?
No, your ballot will not be automatically sent to your temporary address. Arizona law does not allow official election materials, such as ballots, to be forwarded by the U.S. Postal Service.
If you need a ballot forwarded, you should contact your county recorder.
Can I vote in person?
Yes. You can vote early in person or on election day.
Some counties assign polling places to voters based on their voting precinct. Others use a vote center model in which voters can go to any polling place in the county to cast their ballot. Check with your county election officials for details.
ID is required if you vote in person. Acceptable forms of ID include:
Your valid Arizona driver's license.
Your valid state identification card.
Your tribal enrollment card.
Other government-issued identification.
Two items, such as a utility bill and a bank statement, that bear your name and address.
I received a mailed ballot. Can I still vote in person?
Yes. Election workers will void your mailed ballot so you can vote a replacement ballot in person.
Can I track my ballot?
Yes. Arizona voters can track their ballots at the Arizona Voter Information Portal.
How many people are expected to turn out?
Maricopa County, the state's largest, is expecting between 773,000 to 842,000 voters in the presidential preference election. That turnout could be record-breaking.
Of those voters, the vast majority — about 670,000, according to the county's estimates — will be early voters. County officials predict election day turnout could fall between 134,000 to 200,000 voters.
How likely is it the Arizona winner will be the party nominee?
There's not always a direct match between the candidate Arizona voters chose and the candidate who actually makes the fall ballot.
For example, in Arizona's first Republican presidential preference election, the winner was Steve Forbes. The eventual GOP nominee in 1996: Bob Dole. He had finished second in Arizona's preference election.
Arizona Democrats opted to not hold a preference election in 1996 as President Bill Clinton was running generally unopposed for his party's nomination.
What was the system in Arizona before the presidential preference election?
Before the creation of the preference election, Democrats held a primary, while Republicans made their presidential pick by canvassing its precinct committee members.
Arizona is no longer part of the Super Tuesday scrum, scheduled for March 5, 2024.
Along with the label change, lawmakers in 1995 moved Arizona's preference election to the Tuesday immediately after March 15.
The primary election, slated for July 30, 2024, will have no mention of the presidential race.
Voters will get to cast their votes for president during the Nov. 5 general election.
Still have questions?
The Arizona Secretary of State's Office provides contact information for election officials by county.
All voters can contact the Arizona Secretary of State's Office at 1-877-THE-VOTE or 602-542-8683.
Reach the reporter at maryjo.pitzl@arizonarepublic.com or at 602-228-7566 and follow her on Threads as well as on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @maryjpitzl.
Sasha Hupka covers county government and election administration for The Arizona Republic. Do you have a tip to share on elections or voting? Reach her at sasha.hupka@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @SashaHupka. Follow her on Instagram or Threads: @sashahupkasnaps.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What Arizona calls its presidential 'primary.' Hint: Not primary
