Arizona voter registration deadline is Oct. 7 for the Nov. 5, 2024 general election

Arizona voter registration deadline is Oct. 7

PHOENIX - The general election is less than a month away and if you still need to register to vote, October 7 is your last day to do so in Arizona.

You only have until 11:59 p.m. MST to register or update your registration. The easiest way to complete the process is online.

A mailed registration form needs to be postmarked before midnight, or you can fill out a form in person at an election office.

Early voting will begin on Wednesday, October 9 and mail-in ballots will also be sent that day.

You can visit your county recorder's website for details on where early voting centers and ballot drop boxes will be open:

In order to be counted for the election, the ballot must be received by 7 p.m. MST on election day. It's recommended that you mail it back by October 29 to make sure it's received on time. October 29 is also the last day you can request an early ballot.

How can I check to see if I am registered to vote?

You can check your voter registration status on Arizona.vote.

Will my political affiliation affect the way I vote?

Unlike the presidential preference election in March and the primary election in July, general elections are open to all registered voters.

What is the election timeline?

Per the Arizona Secretary of State's Office:

Oct. 7: Last day to register to vote in the general election
Oct. 9: Early voting begins. Early ballots will be mailed to voters who are on the Active Early Voting List, as well as voters who requested a one-time ballot by mail.
Oct. 25: Deadline to request a ballot-by-mail.
Nov. 1: Early in-person vote deadline
Nov. 5: General Election Day
Nov. 10: ID verification deadline (for conditional provisional ballots), as well as deadline for curing of early ballot affidavit signatures
Nov. 21: Deadline for the Boards of Supervisors in all Arizona counties to canvass returns for the election
Nov. 25: Official statewide canvassing of the election
Dec. 17: Arizona's electoral college meets

How can I register to vote?

There are a number of ways people can register to vote in the November election, but they need to be done prior to the Oct. 7 deadline.

Qualifications for registration:

Be a citizen of the United States of America
Be a resident of Arizona and the county listed on your registration
Be 18 years of age on or before the day of the next regular General Election
Provide documentation or affirmation as Proof of Residency.

You can't register to vote in Arizona if:

You've been convicted of a felony and haven't had your civil rights restored. "For a first-time felony conviction, civil rights are automatically restored upon completion of a person's sentence and payment of any restitution," stated the Arizona Secretary of State's office.
You have been adjudicated incapacitated by a court of law.

Accepted proof of citizenship: An Arizona driver's license/identification number.

If you don't have an Arizona license, you may need to provide one of the following documents to establish proof of citizenship:

Your Indian Census Number, Bureau of Indian Affairs Card Number, Tribal Treaty Card Number, or fill in your Tribal Enrollment Number in Box 10 on the voter registration form.
A photocopy of your U.S. naturalization documents or fill in your Alien Registration Number in Box 11 on the voter registration form.
A legible photocopy of your birth certificate and supporting legal documentation (i.e., marriage certificate) if the name on the birth certificate is not the same as your current legal name.
A legible photocopy of the pertinent pages of your U.S. passport.
A legible photocopy of your Tribal Certificate of Indian Blood or Bureau of Indian Affairs Affidavit of Birth.

Information about voter registration cancelation from the Secretary of State's office:

A County Recorder may cancel a voter registration if it is determined that the registrant is deceased, has been convicted of a felony, or has been adjudicated mentally incapacitated by a court of law. A.R.S. § 16-165.
A voter registration that has been in an inactive status for two Federal election cycles (i.e., four years) may also be cancelled. A.R.S. § 16-166(E). A County Recorder may move a voter registration to inactive status only after sending the voter two pieces of Official Election Mail that were returned to the County's office by the United States Postal Service marked "undeliverable." If the address where you receive mail has changed, please update your voter registration.
Inactive voters will be eligible to vote only after updating their address with the County Recorder. Once this occurs, a voter will be moved back to active status.

Details on voter registration can be found on the Arizona Secretary of State's website.

I'll be out of town. How and where can I vote?

Arizona.vote states that Official Election Mail cannot be automatically forwarded by the postal service, but a voter may contact their County Recorder and request that their ballot be sent to their temporary address.

Is voting by mail safe?

(Related Video) What happens to your ballot after it's mailed back?

FOX 10's John Hook got a rare behind-the-scenes look at exactly what happens to your Maricopa County election ballot once you mail it in, and he's taking us along with him.

The Arizona Secretary of State's Office states that a number of measures are in place to secure the vote-by-mail process, including:

Tamper-evident envelopes
Ballot tracking
Security requirements for ballot drop-off locations and ballot dropboxes
Signature verification
Criminal penalties for misconduct

FOX 10's John Hook also gave us a look at the procedures that are followed when processing mail-in ballots.

Do I need a stamp to send a mail-in ballot back?

Stamps are not needed, per the Secretary of State's office, because all early ballots come with a postage-paid return envelope.

How can I return my ballot after the mail-in deadline?

If it's too late to return your ballot by mail, a voter can return the ballot by putting it in a secure ballot drop box, if one exists in their county, or drop it off at any voting location in their county on Election Day.

How can I track my ballot status?

Ballot status can be tracked on Arizona.vote.

When do the polls open on Election Day?

Polling stations will open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. on Election Day. (Mountain Standard Time)

You can check out FOX10Phoenix.com for the latest election results after the polls close.

Where can I vote or drop off my ballot?

A list of voting locations in Maricopa County can be found on their Elections Department's website. Similarly, Pima County officials have made a list of their voting locations available online.

If you live in any other Arizona counties, you can find your voting location on Arizona.vote.

What sort of ID do I need to bring to the polling place?

Per the Maricopa County Elections Department, voters need to bring either one valid government ID that has the voter's name, photo, and address where they are registered to vote, or two non-photo identifications that have the voter's name and the address where they are registered to vote, but no photo.

The exact requirements are on the Elections Department's website.

How do I report voting issues?

If you experience issues while voting, you can file an election complaint with the Arizona Attorney General's Office.

"If your complaint requires immediate law enforcement intervention due to a crime in progress or an escalating situation, contact your local police department immediately," read a portion of the website.

How does the government count my vote?

Depending on when you cast your ballot, the answer will be different.

Early ballots dropped off before Election Day

According to the Arizona Secretary of State's Office, state law allows county election officials to start counting early ballots immediately after they are received and verified.

"All early and provisional ballots are initially processed by a County Recorder's Office for signature verification then transferred to the officer in charge of elections for tabulation at a central counting place. Counties can begin tabulation any time after early voting has begun, and most early ballots will be tabulated in the weeks leading up to the election," a portion of the website reads.

Early ballots dropped off on Election Day

The Secretary of State's Office says that early ballots they received on Election Day will be counted in the days immediately following the election.

"Remember, all early ballots must go through the signature verification process prior to being tabulated, which takes time," officials write.

Ballots cast on Election Day

Officials say ballots cast on Election Day will be counted either on-site, or at a central counting location within a county.

"This process varies by county, so please check with your county elections officials to learn more about what you might experience at your polling location," the website reads.