A first-timer’s guide to voting in Arizona in 2024

This fall, voters will decide on the next US president, as well as members of Congress, state lawmakers, ballot initiatives, and more.

Voting in Arizona can seem intimidating at first. You have to register to vote, and then figure out how you’re going to cast your ballot. 

But once you do it the first time, you’ll realize it’s actually pretty simple. And there are steps you can take, like joining the Active Early Voter List (more on that later), to make it easier on yourself for future elections.  

If you’re a first-time voter looking for some tips here, way to go! You’re already on your way to becoming a regular voter making a difference in your community!

Let’s go through the process, starting with the first step: registering to vote. 

Registering to vote

Before you vote in an election, you need to register to vote in your state. 

To vote in the next general election on Nov. 5—in which voters will decide the next US president, as well as members of Congress, state lawmakers, ballot initiatives, and more—you must be registered by Oct. 7. Arizona does not allow for same-day voter registration.

Here’s how to make sure you’re registered and ready to vote in Arizona by then.

Are you eligible to vote? 

To register to vote in Arizona, you must meet these three criteria:

• You’re a United States citizen.
• You’re a resident of Arizona.
• You will be 18 or older by Nov. 3.

What are some reasons you can’t register? 

You cannot register to vote in Arizona if:

• You have been convicted of a felony and have not yet had your civil rights restored. For first-time felonies, you are able to vote again after you have served your sentence and paid restitution. 
• A court of law has designated you as incapacitated. 

How do you register? 

If you have an Arizona driver’s license or photo ID card, you can register to vote online through Service Arizona. 

You will have to verify that you are eligible to vote and that you live where you say you live. You will be able to choose your party preference while registering. 

If you don’t have an Arizona driver’s license or state ID, you are still eligible to vote if you can provide proof of citizenship. Accepted forms of proof of citizenship can be found on the Arizona Secretary of State website.

With or without ID, you can also register to vote by printing a form and mailing it to your county recorder’s office. If you can’t print, you can also contact the county recorder’s office and ask them to mail you a form that you return to them. 

You can also go to your county recorder’s office in person and fill out the form there. 

Don’t know who your local county recorder is? Find that info here. 

Once you submit your form, you should receive a voter registration card in the mail within four to six weeks. And if for some reason you don’t, no worries—you can follow up with your county recorder’s office about it, but you don’t have to have one to vote. 

OK, I’m registered. Now how do I vote? 

If you’re skipping to this step because you’re already registered to vote, check the Service Arizona portal to make sure all of your information is up-to-date. 

When it comes to voting, you have two options: you can vote by mail or vote in person. Here’s what you need to know about both ways of casting your ballot. 

Voting by mail

All registered voters in our state have the right to vote by mail—and you don’t have to provide a reason or prove that you’ll be out of town. Simply preferring to vote by mail is reason enough.

You can either sign up for the Active Early Voting List (AEVL) to receive all ballots by mail for future elections or request a one-time ballot by mail. 

To register as a vote-by-mail or one-time absentee voter for the Nov. 5 general election, you have several options: 

• AEVL applications can be submitted for both the AEVL and for one-time requests. If you have a valid Arizona ID, you can sign up for the AEVL using this online form.
  • Alternatively, you can print and complete the AEVL request form and return it by mail, fax, or email to your local county recorder’s office. You must sign up by Oct. 25.
• One-time applications: Request your one-time ballot-by-mail online by filling out this form. You can also call your local county recorder’s office and request a ballot-by-mail by providing your name, address, date of birth, and other identifying info.
  • Another option is to fill out and return a printable request form or simply email your local county recorder’s office, then respond with requested personal information. You must sign up for your one-time ballot-by-mail by Oct. 25.

Don’t know who your local county recorder is? Find that info here. 

To submit your completed mail-in ballot, return it by mail to your local county recorder’s office or place it in a designated dropbox. 

The postal service recommends putting your ballot in the mail at least seven days before the election, so get your ballot in the mail as soon as possible. Postage is prepaid, so you don’t  need to add a stamp. 

Ballots must be received by the county recorder’s office by 7 p.m. on Election Day. You can check to see the status of your ballot and make sure it was received here. 

Voting in person

If you’d rather not deal with the mail, you can head to the polls to vote in person. You can vote early in person for the general election in Arizona from Oct. 9 through Nov. 1. Find where to vote and the hours of locations here. 

You can also wait to vote on Election Day, Nov. 5, but be aware that there may be longer lines. All voting locations will be open that day from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. As long as you are in line by 7 p.m., you will be allowed to vote.  

To vote in person, you must provide an accepted form of ID. Once you receive your ballot, you’ll take it into a voting booth and completely fill out each bubble with the pen provided, then turn it back in to be counted. Then it’s time to be proud of your contribution—on your way out, you’ll get that coveted “I Voted” sticker!

Are you ready to vote? Make sure to check your voter registration status, see who’s on your ballot, and make a voting plan here.