Ballot requests • Return rules • Tracking • Deadlines
Arizona mail voting, made clear.
Request the right ballot, sign the right envelope, return it on time, and know exactly where to check that your vote was accepted.
Independent guide: board-of-elections.org is not an Arizona government office. Official ballot issuance, voter records, signature review, drop-box locations and counting are handled by Arizona election officials.
How vote by mail works in Arizona in 2026
Arizona treats ballot-by-mail voting as part of its early-voting system. You do not need an excuse such as travel, age or illness.
Any qualified elector may request a ballot by mail for an election they are eligible to vote in. You can make a one-time request or join the Active Early Voting List (AEVL) so a ballot is scheduled for eligible elections automatically.
The county where you are registered is central to the process. Your County Recorder maintains the voter record, receives mail-ballot requests, sends early ballots, verifies ballot-envelope signatures and helps resolve signature questions. Election departments manage many voting locations and tabulation functions.
Best when you want a mail ballot for a particular election without enrolling in ongoing automatic mail-ballot delivery.
Designed for voters who want a ballot-by-mail automatically for eligible elections, subject to list-maintenance rules and primary-election party-ballot requirements.
Arizona also offers early voting in person. For the 2026 general election, statewide early voting begins October 7.
If you requested a mail ballot but choose to vote in person instead, follow county instructions. A replacement or in-person ballot process can cancel the earlier ballot as appropriate.
Arizona is an in-hand deadline state: your voted mail ballot must reach an authorized election official by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day. Mailing it by Election Day does not make it timely if it arrives later.
For current official rules, start with the Arizona Secretary of State’s early-voting procedures and your county’s instructions.
Arizona vote-by-mail deadlines for the November 3, 2026 general election
These are the dates that determine when you can register, receive a ballot, request one and get it back in time.
- Voter registration deadlineLast day to register for the November 3 general election, through 11:59 p.m. under the statewide election calendar.
- Early voting begins / ballots begin mailingCounties begin mailing early ballots to AEVL voters and approved one-time requesters. In-person early voting also begins.
- Last day to request a ballot by mailArizona law sets the request cutoff 11 days before Election Day. Do not wait until this date if mail transit will be tight.
- Recommended latest mail-back dateArizona’s Citizens Clean Elections Commission lists October 27 as the general-election mail-back target. After that, an official drop box or voting location may be safer.
- Last regular day of in-person early votingState 2026 election materials identify the Friday before Election Day as the end of regular in-person early voting, subject to county hours.
- Election Day / ballot receipt deadlineAll voted early ballots must be in the hands of authorized county election officials by 7:00 p.m.
If you are returning your ballot through USPS, send it well before Election Day. If the calendar is getting tight, use an official drop box, County Recorder location, early voting location or Election Day voting location in your county.
How to request an Arizona ballot by mail
You can request a ballot online or through your County Recorder. The request has to reach the correct county office by the legal cutoff.
- Confirm your registration first.Use the Arizona Voter Information Portal to review your registration, election districts and available ballot information. Make sure your residential and mailing addresses are current.
- Choose one-time mail voting or AEVL.If you only want a ballot for this election, make a one-time request. If you want automatic ballot-by-mail delivery for eligible future elections, consider AEVL.
- Submit the request through an official channel.Use the Secretary of State’s voter portal or contact your County Recorder. Written AEVL requests can also be submitted according to official instructions.
- Use the correct mailing address.Election mail is not automatically forwarded by USPS. If you will be away, ask your County Recorder to send your ballot to the temporary address you provide.
- Watch your ballot status.Early ballots for the general election begin mailing October 7. Track the ballot after it is issued and again after you return it.
First-time voters who registered by mail
For an election that includes a federal office, a first-time voter who registered by mail may have to satisfy federal identity-verification requirements before receiving a ballot by mail. Arizona’s early-voting procedures explain acceptable ways to establish identity, including qualifying driver-license or Social Security information or an in-person voting history.
Can someone else give you a request form?
Candidates, political committees and other organizations may distribute ballot-request forms, but your completed request still has to be submitted under Arizona’s legal deadlines. For the simplest chain of custody, submit directly to your County Recorder or an official state portal.
What the Active Early Voting List (AEVL) does
AEVL is Arizona’s ongoing mail-ballot list. It replaced the older “Permanent Early Voting List” terminology that still appears on outdated websites.
AEVL voters are generally scheduled to receive a ballot by mail for elections in which they are eligible. You can request AEVL status through voter-registration channels or submit a signed written request to your County Recorder.
| Question | Current rule or practical answer |
|---|---|
| Is there a deadline to join AEVL? | There is no general deadline to join the list, but you must be signed up at least 11 days before an election to receive a ballot by mail for that election. |
| Can I skip a particular mailed ballot? | AEVL procedures allow voters to notify the County Recorder that they do not want a ballot for an upcoming election, subject to the notice deadlines. |
| Can I use another Arizona mailing address? | AEVL notices include a way to change a mailing address within Arizona while keeping the county voter record updated. |
| Can I be removed from AEVL? | Yes. Removal can occur by written request, certain undeliverable-mail situations, inactive/canceled registration status, or list-maintenance rules after two consecutive election cycles without voting an early ballot and no timely confirmation response. |
| Does removal from AEVL cancel voter registration? | Not necessarily. A voter removed under the two-cycle AEVL maintenance rule can remain an active registered voter but stop receiving automatic mail ballots. |
An Arizona voter registered without a recognized political party may need to choose which eligible party ballot to receive in a partisan primary. That selection issue is different from the November general election.
How to complete your Arizona mail ballot
The ballot choices matter, but the return-envelope affidavit is just as important. Your signature is part of the identity-verification process.
- Read the instructions in your ballot package.Use the marking method specified for your ballot. County instructions control if a local ballot style has additional requirements.
- Mark your choices privately.Review both sides of each ballot page or card before sealing anything. If you make a mistake that cannot be corrected under the instructions, contact your County Recorder about a replacement.
- Place the voted ballot in the correct return envelope.Use the official affidavit/return envelope supplied with your ballot. Do not substitute a homemade envelope.
- Sign the affidavit envelope.The signature is compared with signatures in your voter record. An unsigned affidavit creates a serious counting problem and must be addressed by the Election Day deadline under current law.
- Add a useful phone number.Arizona election guidance encourages voters to include contact information so the County Recorder can reach you quickly if there is a signature question.
- Return it promptly and track it.Do not assume that placing it in a mailbox means it has been received. Use the state’s tracking tools after return.
Official Arizona early-ballot return envelopes are postage-paid. You do not need to add a stamp when mailing the ballot back within the normal Arizona process.
Where and how to return an Arizona mail ballot
You have more than one return option. The correct choice depends on how close you are to the 7:00 p.m. Election Day deadline.
Use the postage-paid return envelope. For November 3, the state-linked election guidance recommends returning by mail well ahead of Election Day; October 27 is a useful latest-mail target.
Deposit the sealed, signed ballot at an authorized drop box in your county. Confirm locations and hours through your county election office.
Return the ballot directly to an authorized county office according to its posted hours and procedures.
Arizona allows voted early ballots to be dropped at eligible early-voting or Election Day voting locations in the voter’s county, subject to county instructions.
Who may return somebody else’s ballot?
Arizona law restricts ballot collection. A person may generally handle or return their own ballot or the ballot of a family member, household member, person for whom they are a caregiver, or as an authorized election official. Do not hand your ballot to an unrelated person simply because they offer to deliver it.
Mailing it back
Best when there is enough transit time. The ballot is not timely merely because the envelope was postmarked by November 3.
Dropping it off
Useful late in the voting period because delivery to an authorized site can satisfy the in-hand deadline. The ballot still must arrive by 7:00 p.m. Election Day.
County drop-box and voting-location lists vary. Use the Secretary of State’s county contact directory rather than relying on an old map or social-media post.
Signature verification and curing a mail ballot
Arizona election workers verify the signature on the early-ballot affidavit envelope before the ballot can be counted.
The County Recorder or other election officer compares the ballot-envelope signature with signatures available in the voter’s registration record, including qualifying historical records. If the signature appears inconsistent, officials must make reasonable efforts to contact the voter and provide a chance to resolve the issue.
Missing signature versus mismatched signature
| Problem | What current Arizona law requires |
|---|---|
| No signature on the affidavit envelope | Election officials make reasonable efforts to contact the voter, but a missing signature must be added no later than 7:00 p.m. on Election Day. |
| Signature is present but cannot initially be verified | The voter may cure or confirm the signature through the statutory post-election cure period. For a general election with federal offices, current A.R.S. § 16-550 allows through the fifth business day after the election. |
Because county communication methods and office hours can vary, respond immediately if your recorder contacts you. Arizona counties may provide secure electronic or phone-assisted curing options, but use only instructions you can trace to your county election office.
Sign the affidavit envelope before return and provide a current phone number. Then track the ballot so you can react quickly if the status shows a problem.
How to track an Arizona mail ballot
Tracking helps answer three separate questions: Was your ballot issued? Was it received? Was it accepted or does the county need something from you?
Use my.arizona.vote and select the voter-information/ballot-status tools. Arizona also directs voters to its official ballot-tracking services through Arizona.Vote.
If you live in Maricopa or Pima County, county election officials also provide their own status resources. Use official county sites, not links from unsolicited texts or emails.
What if tracking never updates?
Contact your County Recorder with your name, date of birth, registration address and the election you are asking about. Do not send sensitive identifiers through an unverified email address or form.
Lost, damaged, delayed or missing mail ballots
A problem with the first ballot does not automatically mean you lose your chance to vote. The next step depends on what happened.
Lost or damaged ballot
Contact your County Recorder and request a replacement. Arizona’s Secretary of State says replacement ballot-by-mail requests must be made no later than 11 days before Election Day—October 23 for the November 3 general election. The county cancels the prior ballot when a replacement is issued.
Ballot never arrived
First check the tracking portal and confirm the mailing address. Then call the County Recorder. If the deadline for a mailed replacement is too close or has passed, ask about voting in person.
You requested mail voting but now want to vote in person
You may still visit an appropriate voting location. Election officials will follow procedures to ensure that only one ballot is counted for you. Bring the required identification for in-person voting.
You accidentally mailed it too late
If the ballot is already in the postal system, track it. Arizona does not count ordinary ballots solely based on an Election Day postmark, so a ballot arriving after 7:00 p.m. on November 3 is late under the normal rule.
If you have already returned a ballot but are unsure of its status, contact election officials before attempting another voting method. Arizona’s ballot-tracking and replacement procedures are designed to prevent more than one counted ballot per voter.
What to do if you will be away from your Arizona mailing address
USPS does not automatically forward official election mail. You need to tell your County Recorder where the ballot should go.
If you will be temporarily out of town, contact the recorder for the county where you are registered and request delivery to the temporary address. Do this early enough for the ballot to reach you and then return to Arizona before the legal deadline.
Students and seasonal residents
Use the address that matches your lawful voter-registration residence and give the recorder the correct temporary mailing destination when applicable. Do not create conflicting voter registrations in multiple jurisdictions.
Military and overseas voters
Uniformed-service and overseas voters can have different ballot-transmission procedures under UOCAVA, but Arizona’s normal statewide rule still requires returned ballots by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day unless an emergency extension applies. Use Arizona’s military and overseas voter information and the Federal Voting Assistance Program for the appropriate process.
Your County Recorder is the key vote-by-mail contact
Arizona has 15 counties, and mail-ballot requests, addresses, local drop boxes and many ballot-status questions are handled at county level.
- Apache County
- Cochise County
- Coconino County
- Gila County
- Graham County
- Greenlee County
- La Paz County
- Maricopa County
- Mohave County
- Navajo County
- Pima County
- Pinal County
- Santa Cruz County
- Yavapai County
- Yuma County
The Secretary of State maintains a county election officials directory with Recorder and elections-department contact details. Use it when you need a local request address, fax/email destination, drop-box information, replacement ballot or registration help.
For voter registration and early voting / mail ballots, the County Recorder is usually the first stop. For voting locations and many Election Day operations, the county elections department may be the better contact. The state directory lists both.
Arizona Secretary of State Elections Division: address, phone and map
The statewide Elections Division can answer general election questions, but your County Recorder remains the primary office for issuing and receiving your mail ballot.
- Elections Division
- Office of the Secretary of State
- Address
- 1700 W Washington St, Floor 7
Phoenix, AZ 85007-2808 - Elections phone
- 602-542-8683
- Arizona toll-free
- 1-877-THE-VOTE
- In-person service
- State Capitol, Executive Tower, Seventh Floor. The Secretary of State advises calling because Phoenix in-person access is limited.
This state-office map is for statewide Elections Division contact. Your mail ballot should be returned using the authorized methods for your county, not mailed to the Secretary of State’s Phoenix office unless an official instruction specifically tells you to do so.
Arizona vote-by-mail FAQs for 2026
Do I need an excuse to vote by mail in Arizona?
No. Any qualified Arizona elector may request a ballot by mail for an election they are eligible to vote in.
What is the deadline to request a mail ballot for November 3, 2026?
The request deadline is October 23, 2026, which is 11 days before Election Day. Request earlier whenever possible.
When will 2026 general-election mail ballots start going out?
Early voting begins and early ballots start mailing on October 7, 2026.
When should I mail my completed ballot back?
Return it as soon as practical. Arizona election guidance lists October 27 as a useful latest-mail target for the November 3 general election. If you are later than that, consider an authorized drop-off option.
Is an Election Day postmark enough in Arizona?
No. Arizona requires the ballot to be received by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day. A late-arriving ballot is not saved by an Election Day postmark under the normal rule.
Do I need a stamp on my Arizona ballot return envelope?
No. Arizona early ballots include a postage-paid return envelope.
What happens if I forget to sign the ballot envelope?
Election officials must make reasonable efforts to contact you, but current state law requires a missing signature to be added by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day. Track your ballot and respond immediately to county contact.
What if my signature does not match?
The county will attempt to contact you and provide a statutory opportunity to cure or confirm the signature. Current Arizona law allows a longer cure period for a general election with federal offices than for a completely missing signature.
Can my spouse or family member drop off my ballot?
Arizona law allows specified family, household and caregiver assistance. It restricts unrelated third-party ballot collection, so use the statutory categories and county guidance.
Can I track my ballot after returning it?
Yes. Use my.arizona.vote or the official ballot-status tools linked through Arizona.Vote and your county election office.
What if my mail ballot is lost or damaged?
Contact your County Recorder for a replacement. A mailed replacement request must be made by the 11-day request cutoff; the county cancels the prior ballot when issuing the replacement.
Does joining AEVL mean I can never vote in person?
No. AEVL controls automatic mail-ballot delivery. If you later vote in person, county procedures ensure that only one ballot is ultimately counted.
Official Arizona vote-by-mail sources
Election rules and county procedures can change. Use these official or state-authorized sources for the final check.
- Arizona Secretary of State — 2026 Election Information
- Arizona Secretary of State — Early Voting / Ballot by Mail
- Arizona Secretary of State — Early Voting Procedures
- Arizona Secretary of State — Ballot Processing and Signature Verification
- Arizona Secretary of State — County Election Officials Directory
- Arizona Revised Statutes § 16-550 — Receipt, Signature Cure and Tracking
- Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission — November 3, 2026 General Election
- Citizens Clean Elections — Ballot by Mail