There are so many races in Maricopa County, Arizona, this year that general election ballots will be printed on not one but two pages.
One precinct in Phoenix will have 87 contests, which is the highest number of contests out of all the local ballots. It’s the first time since the 2006 midterm election that the county has needed to print the ballot on two sheets of paper.
On the ballot’s first page, voters will see federal, statewide, county, and local contests. The ballot’s second page will have statewide and countywide ballot propositions. In addition to the presidential race and the Senate race between Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Republican Kari Lake, Arizonans are set to vote on a number of ballot measures.
Democrats are hoping an abortion amendment will give them downballot support after the petition to get on the ballot received the most signatures of any state referendums in history. There is also a ballot question that would change Arizona’s semi-closed primaries to open primaries. Another ballot question would, if successful, end term limits for Arizona Supreme Court justices and superior court judges.
Arizona law requires partisan candidates to appear in the order of which party received the most votes and won the previous election’s gubernatorial race. Democrats will appear first in partisan races since Gov. Katie Hobbs (D-AZ) won her election in 2022. The last time this happened was during the 2010 midterm election after former Gov. Janet Napolitano (D-AZ) won reelection in 2006.
While Arizona was one of the first swing states in the 2020 election to finish tabulating the vote, local officials are warning of longer lines due to so many races being on the ballot this year. But they noted the county is prepared for it.
“I think we’ll be fine. It’s on Election Day, when we see a little bit more in-person voting that we’ll probably see an increase in wait times at vote centers. But it’s something that we’re prepared for,” Adrian Borunda, public information officer for Maricopa County Elections, told the Washington Examiner.
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Maricopa County, Arizona’s population center, is home to 62% of the state and the capitol, Phoenix.
Arizona residents’ registration deadline to vote in the general election is Monday, Oct. 7. Early voting begins on Wednesday, Oct. 9. Ballots are scheduled to be sent to military and citizens living overseas on Sept. 21.