The race for the White House is heating up in The Grand Canyon State as early voting kicks off. Starting Wednesday, Arizona voters can hit the polls well ahead of the March 19 Presidential Preference Election, with options for both in-person voting and mail-in ballots available.
Maricopa County, a key battleground that could tilt the scales in this critical election, sees a high turnout for mail-in voting, with Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer stating that historically, "85% of those who participate in Arizona elections, vote by mail," as detailed by ABC15. This year's voting dynamics may be altered as independents, who make up the largest portion of Arizona’s registrants at 35%, were required to register with a party by February 20 to participate.
Speaking on the competitive nature of local contests, Richer told ABC15, "That all means races will be very competitive in Maricopa County. That’s part of the reason so much attention has been paid to Maricopa County." He pointed to the flux of new voters identifying as independents and the county's significant share of Arizona's voting populace.
Voting sites in Maricopa County are well-prepared to accommodate an electorate that has shown a penchant for mailing in their say. Voters can check where they can drop off their ballot or vote in person by visiting the county recorder’s website. Recalling the fierce 2016 primaries, Richer reflected, "This isn’t like 2016. Where both party nominations were pretty wide open," indicating anticipation of potentially lower turnout rates for a less fiery race, according to ABC15.
Early voting will run through March 15, with Navajo County already informing locals they can vote early or drop off their ballots until 7:00 p.m. on election night, as reported by the county's official event calendar. With a tight race expected, every early vote could be critical in determining who will stand as the top choice for Arizona’s Republican and Democratic voters.
