RECORDERS CD7 EARLY VOTING SPECIAL ELECTION PLAN-FINAL.PDF
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Congressional District 7 – Primary and General Early Voting Plan
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For contact or assistance:
Visit: Elections.Maricopa.Vote
Register To Vote: Register.Maricopa.Vote
Request Ballot: Request.Maricopa.Vote
Track Ballot: BeBallotReady.Vote
See Your Voter Record: BeBallotReady.Vote
See Voting Location Information: Locations.Maricopa.Vote
Call: (602) 506-1511
Email: VoterInfo@Maricopa.Vote
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Contents
1.0 Early Voting Plan ..............................................................................................................3
1.1 Voter Registration and Eligibility .................................................................................3
1.2 Early Voting Approach and Strategy ..................................................................................4
1.3 Key Dates .........................................................................................................................4
1.4 Early Voting Processes and Programs ................................................................................5
1.4.1 - "No Excuse" Early Voting .......................................................................................5
1.4.2 – Requesting an Early Ballot .....................................................................................5
1.4.3 – Accessible Ballot Options & 90-Day Cards ..............................................................6
1.4.4 – Early Ballot Security and Tracking ..........................................................................9
1.4.5 - Printing and Mailing of Early Ballot Packets ............................................................9
1.4.6 - Ballot Flagging ..................................................................................................... 10
1.4.7 - UOCAVA Program ................................................................................................ 10
1.4.8 - Mail Delivery Pick-ups and Drop-offs .................................................................... 11
1.4.9 - Signature Verification and Curing ......................................................................... 11
1.4.10 - Election Day Deadline ........................................................................................ 13
1.4.11 - Special Election Boards ...................................................................................... 13
1.4.12 - Processing Provisional Ballots ............................................................................ 13
1.4.13 - Serving Pre-Trial Detainees ................................................................................ 13
1.4.14 - Informed Delivery .............................................................................................. 13
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1.0 Early Voting Plan
The Recorder's Office Early Voting Plan will ensure that voters have access to a reliable and secure early
voting process for the July 15 Special Primary and September 23 Special General Elections of 2025. This
plan serves to ensure that the Recorder's Office and the Board of Supervisors provide voters with a
reliable, secure, and accessible Voter Registration and Early Voting process for these Elections. This plan,
approved by Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap, provides Maricopa County voters and key
stakeholders with information related to Voter Registration and Early Voting activities with the goal of
increased transparency.
1.1 Voter Registration and Eligibility
The Recorder's Office is the owner and custodian of the voter registration system for Maricopa County
and, as such, is committed to ensuring the voter registration system meets technical system requirements
and complies with applicable laws. We strive to educate voters about the registration process and
eligibility rules for each election.
The voter registration deadline is 29 days before a given Election Day. To participate in the July 15 Special
Primary Election, eligible Congressional District 7 (CD7) residents must register on or before June 16, 2025.
Though address and name changes can be updated at a voting location via the County’s SiteBook check-
in system, by law, political party changes must be made by the June 16 deadline to receive the appropriate
party ballot. All registered voters in CD7 are eligible to vote in the July 15 Special Primary Election,
regardless of party affiliation. However, voters not registered with a recognized political party (e.g.,
"independents") must choose either a Republican or Democratic party ballot when they vote in person
during early voting or on Election Day. Unaffiliated/independent voters who wish to participate via an
early mail ballot must notify the Recorder's Office of their party ballot selection no later than 5:00 pm on
July 7. To participate in the September 23 Special General Election, eligible residents of CD7 must register
on or before August 25, 2025. There are no unique requirements for unaffiliated or independent voters
for the September 23 Special General Election, like there are in the July 15 Special Primary Election. To
register to vote, visit Register.Maricopa.Vote.
All CD7 voters on the Active Early Voting List (AEVL) will be sent a ninety-day (90) notice on or before April
16. With that mailing, voters can confirm or update their residential and/or mailing addresses, opt out of
the Special Primary and/or General Election(s), and voters who are not registered with a recognized
political party are given the option to select a party ballot for the July Special Primary Election.
The Recorder's Office provides access to the voter registration database via a secure connection through
the SiteBook check-in system. Any updates or changes to voter records made through the SiteBooks must
be captured and provided to the Recorder's voter registration system for verification and validation.
The Recorder's Office is responsible for reviewing provisional ballots per Arizona law. Provisional Ballots
serve as a safety net, allowing voters to participate in the voting process, even if they are not located on
the roster or unable to properly check in at the voting location. The Recorder's Office uses information
from the SiteBooks and the voter registration system to verify voter eligibility for a given election to
determine if the Provisional Ballot should or should not be counted. For this reason, it is vital that the
Elections Department promptly provide all documentation, data, and images related to Provisional Ballots
to the Recorder's Office. After extensive review and research, the Recorder's Office will set the disposition
on the Provisional Ballots according to statutory requirements and look to complete dispositioning ahead
of the statutory deadlines.
The Recorder's Office will help facilitate the creation of specific election reports that are under the scope
of the Recorder's Office. This includes voter registration totals, household mailing files, party reports, early
ballot reports, provisional ballot reports, and close of election canvass reports under this Office's purview.
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1.2 Early Voting Approach and Strategy
A significant majority of Maricopa County voters, of all political parties, vote by early ballot. In recent
elections, early voting constituted between 84% to 92% of the total votes cast.
The Recorder's Office oversees the following early voting programs and processes:
•
Early Ballot Request (Active Early Voting List and One-time Requests)
•
Ninety-Day (90) Notification Mailers
•
Printing and Mailing of Early Ballot Packets
•
Collaborative Mail Pick-ups and Drop-offs (with the Elections Department)
•
Signature Verification and Curing
•
Special Programs/Processes: Military and Overseas Voters (UOCAVA), Special Election
Boards, Provisional Ballot Processing, Serving Pre-trial Detainees
1.3 Key Dates
2025 CD7 SPECIAL PRIMARY ELECTION KEY DATES
Date
Description
May 31, 2025
Deadline to send ballots to military and overseas voters
(MilitaryOverseas.Maricopa.Vote)
~May 31, 2025
Update “Where Do I Vote” webpage (Locations.Maricopa.Vote)
June 16, 2025
Voter registration deadline (Register.Maricopa.Vote)
June 18– July 11, 2025
Early Voting – in person and by mail
July 7, 2025
Last day to request an early ballot through the mail, by 5:00 pm
July 8, 2025
Recommended date to return ballot by mail
July 12 & 14, 2025
Emergency Voting
July 15, 2025
Election Day (6:00 am to 7:00 pm)
July 23, 2025
Board of Supervisors Canvass
Jul. 24 – Aug. 1, 2025
Automatic Recount (if needed)
2025 CD7 SPECIAL GENERAL ELECTION KEY DATES
Date
Description
August 9, 2025
Deadline to end ballots to military and overseas voters
(MilitaryOverseas.Maricopa.Vote)
~August 9, 2025
Update “Where Do I Vote” webpage (Locations.Maricopa.Vote)
August 25, 2025
Voter registration deadline (Register.Maricopa.Vote)
Aug. 27 – Sept. 19, 2025
Early Voting – in person and by mail
Sept. 12, 2025
Last day to request an early ballot through the mail, by 5:00 pm
Sept. 16, 2025
Recommended date to return ballot by mail
Sept. 20 & 22 2025
Emergency Voting
Sept. 23, 2025
Election Day (6:00 am to 7:00 pm)
Oct. 2 or 3, 2025
Board of Supervisors Canvass
Oct. 3 – Oct. 10, 2025
Automatic Recount (if needed)
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1.4 Early Voting Processes and Programs
The following sections describe the various processes and early voting programs offered for the July 15
Special Primary and September 23 Special General Elections for Congressional District 7.
1.4.1 - "No Excuse" Early Voting
Arizona law allows for "no excuse" early voting. This voting option is frequently called "Early Voting" or
"Vote-By-Mail”. A voter can request a one-time ballot in the mail or sign up for the Active Early Voting List
(AEVL). When the voted ballot and affidavit are returned, early voters must sign the affidavit envelope. In
addition, the voter should provide a date and a phone number in the area provided, so that election
workers can use that number to reach the voter should there be a signature issue. Voters may return Early
Ballots by mail or at any secure ballot drop box or Vote Center offered by Maricopa County Elections.
Hours of availability will be posted approximately 45 days before each election and can be found at
Locations.Maricopa.Vote.
Historically and increasingly over the years, Maricopa County voters choose to vote by early ballot. After
the 2008 adoption of the Permanent Early Voting List (since amended to be called the Active Early Voting
List), early voting has increased steadily. As an example, in the November 2020, 2022, and 2024 General
Elections, respectively, 91.67%, 83.94%, and 87.68% of ballots cast were early ballots. Below is a graphical
representation of the turnout for past elections that shows this upward trend and the popularity of the
Early Voting process.
1.4.2 – Requesting an Early Ballot
Maricopa County's voters traditionally vote early by mail in large numbers. Currently, 78% of all active
voters are on the Active Early Voting List (AEVL) and are sent ballots by mail automatically for each election
they are eligible to participate in. In recent countywide and federal elections, voters on the AEVL turnout
to vote in proportionately larger numbers than those voters who are not on the AEVL, traditionally,
making up a larger percentage of the overall votes cast.
The Recorder's Office and the Board of Supervisors want to ensure all voters are aware of their voting
options. Whether the voter decides to vote by mail or in person, our goal is to provide information to
accommodate their choices. Voters not part of AEVL may request a one-time early ballot to be mailed to
them by visiting Request.Maricopa.Vote, or contact the Recorder's Office at (602) 506-1511. Voters can
also check the status of their voter record and early ballot when mailed, at BeBallotReady.Vote,
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One-time requests for an early ballot must be received by the Recorder's Office by 5:00 pm, traditionally
on the second Friday before an election. For the July 15 Special Primary Election, that date happens to
fall on a holiday (Fourth of July) and is moved to Monday, July 7. For the September 23 Special General
Election, the request deadline falls on Friday, September 12. Voters not on AEVL may also choose to vote
in person during the early voting period starting 27 days ahead of each election or on Election Day (see
1.3 Key Dates for detailed dates).
Maricopa County has four recognized political parties— Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, and No Labels.
At the state level, the Green Party is also recognized. Voters registered with these five political parties will
be issued a ballot with their party-specific partisan candidates for CD7.
For the July 15 Special Primary Election, unaffiliated or independent voters can participate. Arizona has
open Primary Elections, which means that a voter registered without a party preference can still vote in a
partisan Primary Election. However, independent voters and those registered without a political party
preference must actively request the partisan (party-specific) ballot of their choice. For this election, only
the Republican and Democratic parties have “opened” their primary election for their ballots to be
selected by independent voters. Independent voters can make that party-ballot request by mail, online at
Request.Maricopa.Vote, or contact the Recorder's Office at (602) 506-1511. Special Primary Election, early
ballots will begin mailing 27 days before that election, on June 18, 2025.
For the September 23 Special General Election, there are no special actions needed for AEVL voters, and
all voters on this list who are eligible to participate in this Special General Election will be automatically
mailed their party ballot 27 days before that election, on August 27, 2025.
Whether the voter decides to vote by mail or in person, Maricopa County provides safe, reliable, secure,
and accessible choices to voters.
1.4.3 – Accessible Ballot Options & 90-Day Cards
In addition to traditional ballot-by-mail options, Maricopa County provides voters with other early voting
choices. Voters may request the following at our “Voter Assistance Services” page, by emailing
SEB@maricopa.gov, or by calling (602) 506-1511:
•
Braille ballots
•
Large Print ballots
•
Special Election Boards – For voters who cannot vote by mail or in person due to a confining illness
or a disability. These voters may request a Special Election Board that consists of two members
of differing political parties who travel to the voter with the voter's ballot to facilitate the voting
process. Often, these voters are in hospitals or nursing homes.
Ninety-Day (90) Cards: State law requires the County Recorder to mail a notice to all voters on the Active
Early Voting List (AEVL) no later than ninety days before the July 15 Special Primary Election. The
Recorder's Office sent this mailing on April 14, 2025, to all registered voters on the AEVL. These cards
serve several purposes, including:
•
Confirmation that the voter still resides at the address;
•
Opportunity for voters to update information as necessary;
•
Reminder that voters may request a temporary mailing address for the ballot;
•
Opportunity for voters to remove themselves from the Active Early Voting List;
•
Option for voters to elect not to receive a ballot by mail for the upcoming elections.
AEVL voters not registered with a recognized party that want to participate in the July 15 Special Primary
Election may use the ninety-day (90) notice received to make their party ballot selection. Voters can also
request online at Request.Maricopa.Vote, or contact the Recorder's Office at (602) 506-1511.
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SAMPLE OF NINETY-DAY (90) NOTICE – FOR AEVL VOTERS NOT REGISTERED WITH A PARTY:
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SAMPLE NINETY-DAY (90) NOTICE – FOR AEVL VOTERS REGISTERED WITH A RECOGNIZED PARTY:
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1.4.4 – Early Ballot Security and Tracking
Voting by mail in Arizona and Maricopa County is secure and verifiable. The Recorder's Office and the
Board of Supervisors have internal controls and tracking methods for ballot security. These security
measures include:
• ONLY REGISTERED VOTERS CAN REQUEST A BALLOT: State law requires that the Recorder's Office
check the voter registration record against vital records and numerous other governmental databases
before mailing a ballot to a voter. These checks verify the registration status of the voter and ensure
that the correct ballot is sent to the correct voter.
• VERIFICATION STARTS NINETY (90) DAYS BEFORE AN ELECTION: State law requires the Recorder's
Office to mail notices to all voters on the Active Early Voting List ninety (90) days before an election.
This mailing confirms that the voter still lives at the address on file using the U. S. Post Office address
database and allows voters the opportunity to update their records if necessary. After reconciling voter
records, the Recorder's Office mails ballots twenty-seven (27) days before Election Day.
• CHAIN OF CUSTODY AND INTELLIGENT BARCODE TRACKER: Every mailed ballot is tracked upon
delivery and receipt with a unique, intelligent mail barcode. Once the ballot is returned, there is a
copious number of chain-of-custody documents that track all early ballots as they progress through
each step of the process, finalizing at tabulation. The combination of the unique barcode and these
chain-of-custody documents ensures the integrity and security of the early ballot.
• ALL AFFIDAVIT ENVELOPES ARE SIGNATURE VERIFIED: All signatures are compared by highly trained
staff against known “clipped” signatures in the official voter registration record, including registration
form signatures, verified affidavit signatures from prior elections, and past in-person check-in
signatures. No Personally Identifiable Information (PII) or political party information is shown to the
User-Level reviewers, and only the vetted clipped signatures are provided for this comparison process
at that initial review state. The signature verification process has multi-level checks (including a 2%
audit of all signatures) to ensure that only ballot affidavit envelopes with valid signatures are advanced.
Voters with questionable signatures are contacted by the Recorder's Office and have five calendar days
after these elections to confirm their identity and signature.
• ONLY VERIFIED BALLOTS ARE COUNTED: Once the signature is verified, the return affidavit envelope
is securely turned over to the Elections Department to be opened by a bipartisan Pre-Tabulation
Processing Board. The ballot is verified, checked for damage, and reviewed for other control items,
and sent to tabulation. (see Elections Department “Election Plan 7.3– Pre-Tabulation Ballot Processing”
for specific details). All uncounted ballot packets (e.g., uncured questioned signatures and no
signatures) are tracked and reported in the official canvass.
Since every ballot packet is affixed with a unique barcode specifically assigned for the given election and
exclusive to that voter, voters may track when their ballot packet is mailed, when the ballot packet is
received, when the ballot affidavit envelope is under signature review, and when the ballot has been
verified and sent to be counted. To sign up for this alert, voters can text "JOIN" to 628-683 or sign up
online at BeBallotReady.Vote.
1.4.5 - Printing and Mailing of Early Ballot Packets
The Recorder's Office will prepare to serve the 43,000+ eligible Active Early Voter List (AEVL) voters for
the upcoming Special Primary and General Elections for Congressional District 7.
All early ballot packets include: a carrier envelope, the ballot, an early ballot affidavit envelope, and voter
instructions. These packets are assembled at Runbeck Election Services ("Runbeck"), a certified elections
vendor. Runbeck has state-of-the-art security (both physical security on-site and virtual). The facility is
built for election integrity with ballot storage vaults, fire detection/suppression systems, and protocols in
place to document and manage the process at the highest level. Runbeck has partnered with Maricopa
County for nearly 30 years and is utilized by other election jurisdictions throughout the United States.
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Arizona Revised Statute §16-545 requires placement of the following on the Early Voting Carrier Envelope:
"If the addressee does not reside at this address, mark the box and return it to the U.S. Postal Service”.
Voters can assist the Recorder's Office with maintaining accurate voter registration rolls by adhering to
this directive. The U.S. Post Office approved the placement of this language on the outside of the envelope
and provided assurances that it will not negatively impact the delivery of the early ballot packet.
Additionally, Arizona Revised Statute §16-513 requires that the early ballot instructions include the
following language: "A person may only handle or return their own ballot or the ballot of family members,
household members, or person for whom they are a caregiver. It is unlawful under section 16-1005 to
handle or return the ballot of any other person. "
1.4.6 - Ballot Flagging
State law requires early ballot requests to be flagged and fulfilled promptly. Both permanent and
temporary staff fulfill this role. Staff members are also tasked with verifying the signatures of returned
early ballot affidavits and contacting voters in an attempt to "cure" any questionable or missing
signatures. This work takes place across the twenty-seven-day (27) early voting period and continues after
the election for all early ballots received by 7:00 pm on Election Day.
The Ballot Flagging team also manages the processing of ninety-day (90) notice cards, adding/removing
voters from AEVL, voiding/reissuing ballots, processing temporary address requests, taking one-time
ballot requests, and adding or removing "opt-out of election" requests for ballots from voters.
1.4.7 - UOCAVA Program
The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) program provides military personnel
(domestic and stationed abroad) and eligible overseas voters (temporarily or indefinitely) extra time to
receive and return their ballots. As required by federal law, the Recorder's Office mails or otherwise sends
ballots forty-five (45) days before the election. These voters can return their ballots and signed affidavits
to the Recorder's Office through Maricopa County’s secure portal, by mail, by fax, or by email. All UOCAVA
ballots must undergo signature verification like a traditional early ballot and must be received by the
Recorder's Office no later than 7:00 pm on Election Day.
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1.4.8 - Mail Delivery Pick-ups and Drop-offs
The Recorder's Office securely handles all early ballots and utilizes chain-of-custody documentation for all
returned ballots at all stages. At regular intervals, a two-member bipartisan team, one appointed by the
Recorder and the other by the Board of Supervisors Elections Department, picks up the mail from a secure
U.S. Postal Service (USPS) location and delivers it to Runbeck. The transfer is documented using a chain-
of-custody transfer slip signed by the Recorder/Election bipartisan team and Runbeck staff.
Upon delivery of the sealed early ballot affidavits, Runbeck conducts an inbound scan of the affidavit
envelope to capture a digital binary image of each voter's signature from the packet and places those
images into an automated batch system for the Recorder's Office staff to review. To ensure all ballots are
accounted for, the batch system is continuously audited and validated by Recorder's Office staff in
addition to the bipartisan Pre-Tabulation Processing citizen boards through audit tray reports that
accompany every batch. These audit tray reports are also used by the Pre-Tabulation Processing boards
that are under the Board of Supervisors (see Elections Department “Election Plan 7.3– Pre-Tabulation
Ballot Processing” for specific details)
After the initial inbound scan, Runbeck stores the unopened ballot packets at its facility in a secure, water
and fireproof vault, while the Recorder's Office staff reviews the digital images of voter affidavit
signatures, thus eliminating the need to handle the actual physical ballot packet multiple times.
1.4.9 - Signature Verification and Curing
Maricopa County utilizes a multi-level signature verification process, conducted only by humans, to review
100% of all signatures on all mail-in ballots. Staff at the Recorder's Office will compare the digital image
of the signature on the affidavit envelope with the voter's verified, historical signatures. These historical
signatures – the voter's voter registration record – may include voter registration forms, in-person roster
signatures, and previously verified early voting affidavits from prior elections.
To complete signature verification and curing, the Recorder's Office will hire additional temporary staff
members and utilize over ninety (90) permanent staff members for these two processes. Temp staff are
trained internally, and the Manager-Level staff by nationally known signature verification experts. Party
observers will be invited to watch the signature verification and curing. In addition, a 24/7 livestream of
the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center (MCTEC) is available at: Elections.Maricopa.Gov
There are two levels of signature verification review. Both levels are audited. During the first level review,
staff members are trained to identify broad and local characteristics of the signature. Staff will compare
it to up to four (4) previously verified signatures on the voter record, including at least one (1) voter
registration form signature. In this first review, staff can only select one of the following two options:
1) Approve the signature (when a signature is consistent with others in the record); or
2) Mark the signature as an "exception" (when a signature is inconsistent).
Signatures marked as an "exception" are assigned to a Manager-Level review queue. These Manager-Level
reviewers receive additional rigorous training to be granted access to review all signature exemplars on
the voter's record for that next-level review.
All signatures are subject to a two percent (2%) randomized sample audit. After signatures are reviewed
and the audit is complete, disposition codes are sent to Runbeck. Runbeck scans and sorts all ballot
affidavit packets according to their disposition code. Those packets are then placed into secured trays for
pickup and transport to MCTEC.
Audit Tray reports accompany all affidavit packet batches. A bipartisan team of two (Recorder and Election
staff members) retrieves the batches from Runbeck and transports them to MCTEC for processing and
tabulation, or curing. Upon arrival at MCTEC, the batched trays are distributed based on the dispositions
made during signature verification.
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The affidavit envelopes with verified good signatures go to the bipartisan Pre-Tabulation Processing
Boards under the purview of the Elections Department. The affidavit envelopes with no signatures,
questionable signatures, need packet, deceased, and household exchange dispositions will remain sealed,
and custody of those is retained by the Recorder’s Office. Those “exception” packets are then taken to
the signature verification/ballot flagging team for further research and curing. The audit report follows all
batches and is signed by both the delivering and receiving teams to account for all ballots.
State law (A.R.S. §16-550.A) requires the County Recorder to make a meaningful attempt to contact voters
when their signatures cannot be verified. The Recorder's signature verification and flagging teams are
responsible for performing all curing activities. For the Special Primary and General Elections, current state
law allows the voter five calendar days following the election to verify a questionable signature and gives
voters until 7:00 pm on Election Day to cure a no signature packet. The team will make a reasonable and
meaningful attempt to contact voters utilizing the information available in the voter's registration file and
on the affidavit (e.g., phone number provided by the voter).
All attempts to contact voters are documented on a standardized, preprinted voter contact label, one
label per contact. The label includes the outcome of the communication, the voter's response, the date
of the contact, and the initials of the staff member engaging in the outreach.
Voters can be notified automatically if their returned packet has issues by subscribing to the “Ballot
Status” service. Once subscribed, a voter will receive email, text or both (depending on how requested),
to alert them when the ballot packet has been scheduled, when it has mailed, when it is received by our
office, when the ballot affidavit envelope is under signature review, when the ballot has been verified and
sent to be counted. For this section's purpose, if there is an issue (e.g., no signature or questioned
signature), this subscription service will also notify the voter so they can immediately cure the deficiency.
To sign up for this alert, voters can text "JOIN" to 628-683 or check their ballot status in real-time using
their personalized voter dashboard at BeBallotReady.Vote.
Voters have multiple options to cure a questionable signature, including verifying their identity via phone,
visiting the Recorder's Office in person, or using a secure text feature. The Recorder’s Office utilizes a
platform known as TXT2Cure to provide a secure and convenient option for the voter to cure a
questionable signature. This TXT2Cure option requires voters to confirm they returned their ballot
affidavit and provide an electronic signature attesting to such. Further, to submit an image of state-issued
photo identification (AZ Driver License or AZ State Issued Identification) to prove identity. Once a voter
verifies or "cures" a signature, a "Verified and Approved – MCTEC" stamp will be placed on the original
affidavit envelope. The verified affidavit envelope will be reimaged to capture the verification actions
taken (e.g., contact label notes and the verified stamp), and the packet will be sent to the Pre-Tabulation
Ballot Processing Boards. The packets containing questionable signatures not cured by the deadline
remain sealed and are reported in the official canvass as rejects, categorized as either "bad signature” or
“no signature”.
Voters who notify the Recorder's Office that they did not return or sign their affidavit envelope will have
matters immediately reported to a supervisor. The supervisor will research the case, and any cases
categorized as "suspected voter fraud" will be referred to law enforcement for investigation.
Voters who forgot to sign their packets may come into our MCTEC facility to sign the original packet, or
they can choose to disregard that packet and vote in person. If the voter decides to vote in person, the
original, unsigned packet is automatically voided in the system and cannot be counted. The packets
containing no signature that are not cured by the 7:00 pm Election Day deadline remain sealed and are
reported on the official canvass as "no signature. "
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1.4.10 - Election Day Deadline
According to state law (A.R.S. §§16-551.C & 548.A), all ballots must be received by 7:00 pm on Election
Day. The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) recommends that voters return their ballot affidavit envelopes at least
seven (7) calendar days before Election Day to guarantee timely delivery. Ballots received after 7:00 pm
on Election Day are invalid and will not be counted, no matter their postmark date.
1.4.11 - Special Election Boards
The Recorder's Office administers a Special Election Board (SEB) program, as prescribed in Arizona law
(A.R.S. §16-549). The SEB process is designed to assist individuals incapable of traveling to the polls who
require physical assistance with voting or marking their ballot. Through this program, a Special Election
Board, consisting of two individuals of different political parties, will visit the voter in person to aid as
directed by the voter. The types of voters the SEB teams typically serve are those who live temporarily or
permanently in nursing homes and hospitals, and those voters who have disabilities or who cannot live
independently. All voters visited by an SEB must provide identification.
1.4.12 - Processing Provisional Ballots
As called for in Arizona law (A.R.S. §16-579), provisional ballots allow all voters to participate in the voting
process while giving the Recorder's Office extra time to determine if the voter is properly registered.
Maricopa County provides provisional ballots to voters who vote in person but do not have the required
identification, as well as to voters whose eligibility is questioned or unknown at the time of voting in
person. Most frequently, these voters are either not registered to vote or registered after the deadline
for the election in progress.
The Recorder's Office is responsible for researching voter information for any provisional ballots cast and
determining whether the voter is properly registered and if the ballot should or should not be counted.
Once a decision is made, the ballot's status is transmitted to the Elections Department's Pre-Tabulation
Processing Boards, where strict chain-of-custody procedures are followed.
In-person voters who do not provide sufficient identification are issued a conditional provisional ballot
per A.R.S. §16-579. For the Special Primary and General Elections, these voters have five calendar days
after Election Day to present the required identification to validate their identities. Only if they are
validated will their conditional provisional ballot be counted.
In accordance with A.R.S. §16-584(E)–(F), the Recorder's Office notifies each provisional voter whether
their ballot was verified and counted. If a ballot is not counted, the voter is informed of the reason.
Notifications are provided by mail, through a toll-free number (602-506-1511), and online at
ProvisionalStatus.Maricopa.Vote that is available for at least one month after the posting of the
provisional ballot dispositions.
1.4.13 - Serving Pre-Trial Detainees
Pretrial detainees and other inmates in correctional facilities, whose voting rights are still intact, can
request that their ballots be mailed to the detention facility.
1.4.14 - Informed Delivery
The Recorder's Office partners with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to offer voters multiple tools to track
their early ballot packets. One option is through Informed Delivery, where voters who sign up will receive
access to a USPS account portal to view an image of all mail delivered to them each day, including the
envelope containing their early ballot.
Following Recorder Heap's efforts to be fiscally responsible with taxpayer dollars, the Office will apply for
a potential 4% discount on postage by joining USPS to promote this voter-centric service.
Congressional District 7 – Primary and General Early Voting Plan
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In addition to Informed Delivery, voters who sign up for the Recorder's "Ballot Status" subscription service
by texting JOIN to 628-683 to get updates on the status of your ballot (e.g., ballot has mailed, ballot has
been received, ballot is under signature review, ballot was verified and sent to count). Equally as important,
so no voter is disenfranchised, this “Ballot Status” service will also let you know if there is an issue with
your returned ballot affidavit (e.g., forgot to sign or signature questioned, with a prompt to contact us
immediately). Utilizing both the “Ballot Status” subscription service and USPS Informed Delivery allows a
voter to track the life of their ballot, adding confidence through self-verification.
For contact or assistance:
Visit: Elections.Maricopa.Vote
Register To Vote: Register.Maricopa.Vote
Request Ballot: Request.Maricopa.Vote
Track Ballot: BeBallotReady.Vote
See Your Voter Record: BeBallotReady.Vote
See Voting Location Information: Locations.Maricopa.Vote
Call: (602) 506-1511
Email: VoterInfo@Maricopa.Vote