Are you an independent? Here's what you need to know to vote in Aug. 2 primary

Sasha Hupka, Arizona Republic
·4 min read
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More than 854,000 voters in Maricopa County not affiliated with the Republican, Democratic or Libertarian parties are registered to cast ballots in the Aug. 2 primary election, according to County Recorder Stephen Richer.

The group, made up of other-party voters and those unaffiliated with any political party, outnumbers the 848,534 Republicans, 750,414 Democrats and 20,493 Libertarians who also are registered to vote.

To participate, these voters must make a ballot choice before voting, either by mail, online, over the phone or in person.

Arizona is one of 26 states that allow unaffiliated voters to participate in primary elections, according to research from the National Conference of State Legislatures.

States have different rules. In Colorado, for instance, independent voters receive a packet containing the ballots of all participating major parties and must choose one to return. In 15 states, unaffiliated voters and those registered to a political party can choose which ballot they want to fill out. That means a voter registered as a Democrat could choose to vote on Republican primary races, and vice versa.

Two states — Washington and California — use a “top two” primary format, which lists all candidates on a common ballot.

Before you vote: What's on your August 2022 primary ballot for Arizona?

In Arizona, independent voters may request to receive a Republican, Democratic or municipal-only ballot. Municipal races are nonpartisan, and the municipal-only ballot is only available in cities or towns with local races in August. Voters who select that option will not be able to vote in federal, state and legislative primary races.

Partisan party ballots contain both nonpartisan municipal races and partisan contests for federal, state and legislative office.

Here's how to request your ballot if you are an independent voter in Arizona.

How do I vote by mail?

Independent voters who wish to vote by mail or drop off their mail-in ballots at a voting center or ballot dropbox have a variety of options to choose their ballot preference.

A man applies for a mail-in ballot by sending in forms in 2020.
A man applies for a mail-in ballot by sending in forms in 2020.

Voters on the Active Early Voting List should have received a notice roughly 90 days before the election in the mail from their county recorder. They can mark their ballot preference and mail it back to the county recorder to receive their ballot by mail.

Independent voters in Maricopa County also can make their ballot choice at BeBallotReady.Vote or call elections staff at 602-506-1511 to notify officials of their ballot preference.

How do I vote in person?

Gene Godwin, an elections worker, holds a roll of stickers for people who vote by dropping their ballots off at the Maricopa County Elections office at 510 S. Third Ave. in Phoenix on Oct. 16, 2020.
Gene Godwin, an elections worker, holds a roll of stickers for people who vote by dropping their ballots off at the Maricopa County Elections office at 510 S. Third Ave. in Phoenix on Oct. 16, 2020.

Those who prefer to vote in person can do so at any vote center before or on Election Day. Independent voters do not need to notify elections officials of their ballot choice in advance if they wish to vote in person, said Megan Gilbertson, communications director for the Maricopa County Elections Department.

"They check in, and as they do all their check in, that's when they can choose their ballot type," Gilbertson said.

Like all other early voters, if independent voters have requested a mail-in ballot but haven't yet mailed it back and wish to cast their vote in person, they can go to a voting center to do so. On casting their vote in person, their mail-in ballot will be voided.

I'm an independent, but I don't know if I'm registered to vote in the primaries. How can I check?

Independent voters on the Active Early Voting List should have received a notice roughly 90 days before the election in the mail from their county recorder. If you received that notice, then you are registered to vote in the upcoming primary election. However, you will still need to choose a ballot preference to participate.

If you registered to vote between May 2, when 90-day card were sent by elections staff, and July 5, the voter registration deadline for the Aug. 2 election, you may not have received a notice in the mail. However, you can still check your registration status online at BeBallotReady.Vote.

Are there deadlines?

Yes. Independent voters who wish to vote by mail must make their ballot selection by July 22. That's the last day for all voters to request a mail-in ballot.

Unaffiliated voters can still vote in person if they miss the deadline.

The Maricopa County Elections Department recommends that all voters casting their ballot by mail send back their ballot no later than July 26. This gives postal workers time to get the completed ballot to the Elections Department by Election Day.

Reach reporter Sasha Hupka at sasha.hupka@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Twitter: @SashaHupka.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What Arizona independent voters need to know to vote in Aug. 2 primary