2024 Presidential Preference Election: What to know about Arizona's 'primary' for President

PHOENIX - On March 19, a Presidential Preference Election will take place in Arizona, and early mail-in ballots are already being counted in Maricopa County.

Here's what you should know about the election.

What's this election all about?

On their website, officials with the Citizens Clean Elections Commission describe the Presidential Preference Election (PPE) as an election where Arizona voters can choose who they would like to be their presidential candidate in the upcoming general election.

So, it's a primary election?

No, and that's because Arizona holds a primary election for various other elected positions on July 30, 2024.

Where do we have the PPE and the primary election on different dates?

Arizona state law requires the two elections to be held on separate dates.

According to the Arizona Revised Statutes, unless the state's governor issues a proclamation to hold it on a later date, a presidential preference election must be held in Arizona on the Tuesday immediately following March 15, on each presidential election year.

Meanwhile, a new law that was signed by Governor Katie Hobbs in February moved the state's primary election to July 30. An Associated Press article states that the change was made after county officials complained that a 2022 change in law would make it difficult to complete counting votes in time if the results were close enough to trigger a mandatory recount.

Who's voting in this election?

Republican and Democratic parties logos (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Per a pamphlet published by the Citizens Clean Elections Commission, only registered Democratic Party or Republican Party voters can take part in the PPE.

I'm registered as an independent, or registered as a member of a different party. What's going to happen?

The pamphlet states that anyone who is not registered as a Republican or a Democrat will not be able to vote in this PPE.

While officials with the Citizens Clean Elections Commission state it was possible for those who cannot vote in the PPE to change their party affiliation to Democrat or Republican in order to take part in the PPE, the deadline for affiliation change was Feb. 20.

Who are the candidates?

Besides the two well-known candidates - Joe Biden and Donald Trump for the Democratic and Republican ballots, respectively - there are other candidates on the PPE ballots.

Here are the candidates who will appear on the Republican and Democratic Party PPE ballots, according to the Citizens Clean Elections Commission.

Republican Party

Ryan L. Binkley
John Anthony Castro
Chris Christie (withdrawn)
Ron DeSantis (withdrawn)
Nikki Haley (withdrawn)
Asa Hitchinson (withdrawn)
Vivek Ramaswamy (withdrawn)
David Stuckenberg
Donald J. Trump

Democratic Party

Joseph R. Biden Jr.
Gabriel Cornejo
Frankie Lozada
Stephen Lyons
Jason Michael Palmer
Dean Phillips (withdrawn)
Marianne Williamson

I voted for a candidate who has withdrawn from the race. What should I do?

According to a voter education guide published by the Citizens Clean Elections Commission, you can spoil your ballot and request a new one from your county if you still have your ballot.

For ballot replacement questions, please visit the website of your county's election department. We have links listed below

If you have already mailed your ballot, officials with the Citizens Clean Elections Commission say there is nothing you can do, as you cannot vote again.

Is there a deadline to vote?

Votes being counted in Maricopa County in an undated photo.

All ballots, according to the Citizens Clean Elections Commission guide, must be received by 7:00 p.m. on March 19.

What happens after the PPE?

According to the Coconino County Elections Department's website, presidential nominees are finalized at the national convention of the respective political parties, and that candidate will appear on the general election ballot.

Are you saying whoever we vote for in the PPE might not be the eventual candidate?

There is a chance that the person who received the most votes in Arizona's PPE (or any state's presidential caucus or primary, for that matter) may not be the eventual presidential candidate for their party, and this has happened at least twice in Arizona.

In 2000, official results for that year's PPE show John McCain receiving the most votes, but George W. Bush would go on to be the Republican Party presidential candidate, and was elected in that year's general election for President.

In 2008, results show that Hillary Clinton received the most votes in the Democratic Party PPE, but Barack Obama was the eventual nominee. According to results posted on the Democratic National Convention website for that year (via Wayback Machine), Obama, who would go on to win that year's general election for President, had more committed delegates than Clinton in general.