Voter Registration Procedures
Registering to vote is the first step to participating in our democracy. The information provided here will help you get involved. The deadline to register to vote is 29 days before Election Day.
How to Register to Vote
The three most common ways to register to vote are:
- Registering electronically via the Arizona Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Department (AZMVD) . (A.R.S. § 16-112) Click here to visit ServiceArizona.com and register online.
- Registering using the state voter registration form. (A.R.S. § 16-152) Click here to view the state paper form.
- Registering using the National Mail Voter Registration Form prescribed by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (the "Federal Form") . (52 U.S.C. § 20505(a)(1) ; 52 U.S.C. § 20508(a)(2) ) Click here to view the federal form.
* If you choose a paper form, you must print and mail it to your County Recorder's Office.
If you are a member of the military or are residing overseas, and consider Arizona your permanent residence, you can register by:
- The Federal Postcard Application (the "FPCA") . Click here to view the FPCA. Use this to register to vote and receive a full ballot. A.R.S. § 16-103(B) ; 52 U.S.C. § 20301(b)(2) ; 52 U.S.C. § 20302(a)(4) ; Executive Order 12642 (June 9, 1988) .
- The Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (the "FWAB") . Click here to view the FWAB. You may use this to register and cast your vote for Federal candidates simultaneously.
Need a paper form to register? Our office can mail you a state or federal registration form. Email your request to [email protected].
Need lots of forms for a large voter registration drive? Your County Recorder can help provide forms to government agencies, political parties, and private organizations. (A.R.S. § 16-151(A) ) Contact your County Recorder's Office to get copies of state voter registration forms: County Election Info
Voter Registration Requirements
Who can register to vote? A person is qualified to register to vote in Arizona if the person:
- Is a United States citizen;
- Will be 18 years old by the date of the next general election;
- Will have been an Arizona resident for at least 29 days prior to the next election;
- Can write their name (or make their mark) , unless prevented from doing so by physical disability;
- Has not been convicted of treason or a felony, unless their civil rights have been restored; and
- Has not been found mentally incapacitated by a court.
Citizenship Requirement
Only U.S. citizens are eligible to register to vote.
- U.S. citizenship must be sworn to when registering to vote.
- Documentary proof of citizenship (DPOC) is required to be registered as a "full-ballot" voter. A "full-ballot" voter is entitled to vote for all federal, state, county, and local races as well as state and local ballot measures for which the voter qualifies.
- An eligible registrant who does not submit DPOC and whose U.S. citizenship cannot be verified via AZMVD records or other record in the statewide voter registration database is registered as a "federal-only" voter. A "federal-only" voter is eligible to vote solely in races for federal office in Arizona (including the Presidential Preference Election (PPE) ) .
Ariz. Const. Art. VII, § 2; A.R.S. § 16-101(A) ; 18 U.S.C. § 611(a) .
Driver Licenses and Identification Cards
- Arizona Driver License or Non-Driver Identification Card Number
- An Arizona driver license or non-driver identification card number (AZDL/ID#) issued by AZMVD after October 1, 1996 constitutes valid DPOC. To be deemed satisfactory:
- (1) the AZDL/ID# must be verified against AZMVD records
- (2) the verification must not return a result that indicates non-citizenship (i.e., an "F-type" license) .
- Voters with a valid AZDL/ID# may register online through www.ServiceArizona.com. Or may complete the appropriate box on the paper voter registration form.
- An Arizona driver license or non-driver identification card number (AZDL/ID#) issued by AZMVD after October 1, 1996 constitutes valid DPOC. To be deemed satisfactory:
- Out-of-State Driver License or Identification Card- Photocopy Required
- An out-of-state driver license or identification card may constitute satisfactory DPOC if it was issued by the state's driver license-issuing agency and indicates on the face of the license or card that the person provided proof of U.S. citizenship in that state.
- Enhanced driver licenses or identification cards from other states issued in compliance with the Departments of State and Homeland Security's Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative satisfy Arizona's DPOC requirement. These states display an American flag on the face of the license or card.
- A photocopy of the license must be included if registering to vote by mail.
- Arizona Driver License or Non-Driver Identification Card Number
Birth Certificate- Photocopy Required
- A registrant may submit a legible copy of the registrant's birth certificate from any U.S. state or territory as satisfactory DPOC. A.R.S § 16-166(F)(2) .
- For U.S. citizens born abroad, a "Certification of Report of Birth" or "Consular Report of Birth Abroad" issued by a consular officer from the U.S. Department of State is accepted. 22 U.S.C § 2705(2) .
- The registrant must supply supporting legal documentation (such as a marriage certificate or court-documented name change) if the name on the birth certificate is not the registrant's current legal name.
U.S. Passport- Photocopy Required
- A registrant may submit a legible copy of the registrant's U.S. passport or passport card. A.R.S. § 16-166(F)(3) .
- The required pages of a U.S. passport to include contain the photo, passport number, name, nationality, date of birth, gender, place of birth, and signature (if applicable) .
- A U.S. passport card also may be accepted.
Citizenship and Immigration Documents
- A registrant may present original naturalization documents to the County Recorder or submit (1) a legible copy of Certificate of Naturalization or Certificate of Citizenship, or (2) Naturalization Certificate Number, Citizenship Certificate Number, or Alien Registration Number (also known as an "A-Number") .
Tribal Identification Numbers and Documents
- A registrant may submit a Tribal Enrollment Number, Indian Census Number, Bureau of Indian Affairs Card Number, or Tribal Treaty Card Number as satisfactory DPOC. A.R.S §16-166(F)(6) . Complete the appropriate box on the paper form with the number provided.
- A legible copy of the registrant's Tribal Certificate of Indian Blood or Tribal/Bureau of Indian Affairs Affidavit of Birth is satisfactory DPOC.
"Federal-Only" Voter Designation
U.S. citizenship must be sworn to when registering to vote. Only U.S. citizens may register to vote in Arizona.
If a registrant does not provide documentary proof of citizenship (DPOC) with their registration application and/or it cannot be electronically acquired via AZMVD records or from the statewide voter registration database (and the registrant is not shown to have an F-Type license) , a County Recorder must:
- Designate the registrant as a "federal-only" voter; and
- Send a letter to the registrant within 10 business days, informing the registrant that:
- They have not satisfied the DPOC requirements; and
- They must submit DPOC to become a "full-ballot" voter, and must provide DPOC by 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday before any given election in order to vote a "full-ballot" in that election; and
- They will remain a "federal-only" voter until they submit valid DPOC to become a "full-ballot" voter.
In order to receive a "full-ballot" for a given election, the voter must provide DPOC to the County Recorder no later than 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday before the upcoming Election Day.
If DPOC is given after that deadline, the voter will be registered for a "full-ballot" for future elections.
Residency Requirements
The voter registration deadline is 29 days before Election Day. You must be registered to vote at your current residence.
A registrant may be temporarily absent from the jurisdiction without losing their residency status, only if the registrant has an intent to return. A.R.S. § 16-103. You may contact your County Recorder directly to request a ballot by mail be sent to you. The request must be made at least 11 days before Election Day: County Election Info
- If you move within the same county during the 29-day period preceding the election, you will remain a qualified elector for the next election. You may update your voter registration at an in-person voting location, be aware you may be required to complete a provisional ballot.
- If you move to a different county during the 29-day period preceding the election, you will remain a qualified elector at your former residence and must vote in the former county.
- If you move to a different state during the 29-day period preceding the next election, you are no longer a qualified elector (and is therefore ineligible to vote) in Arizona. However, you retain the right to vote in Arizona for President of the United States (and no other races) during a Presidential election year. Requesting a presidential-only ballot requires the County Recorder to cancel the registrant's record "promptly" following the general election.
- Military and Overseas Voters
- Military and overseas registrants who are temporarily absent from the state may register and vote until 7:00 p.m. on Election Day, despite not physically residing in Arizona during the 29-day period preceding the election. A.R.S. § 16-103(D) .
- This exception also applies to a U.S. citizen who has never resided in the United States but whose parent is registered in Arizona and is a qualified elector for the next election. 52 U.S.C. § 20310(5) , A.R.S. § 16-103(E) .
- Please visit our Uniformed and Overseas Citizen Portal for more information.
- Public Officers Posted in Different County
- If a state employee or officer is posted to a duty station in a county other than the county from which they were appointed or elected, they (along with their spouse and dependents who reside in the household) remain qualified electors in the county of appointment or election, even if they physically reside in the county where the duty post is located. A.R.S. § 16-124.
If jurisdictional boundaries change during the 29-day period preceding the next election, a registrant must have residency within the new boundaries of the new jurisdiction in order to vote in the next election.
Registration Deadline
The deadline to register to vote in 29 days before Election Day. A.R.S. § 16-120(A) .
A registrant who registers to vote after the deadline will be eligible to vote in future elections. For example, a person who registers less than 29 days before the primary election is not eligible to vote in the primary election but is eligible to vote in the general election. See A.R.S. § 16-120(A) .
If the 29-day registration deadline falls on a weekend or state holiday, the registration deadline is extended to the next business day for state government. A.R.S. § 16-120(B) .
- For online registrations, the registration must be completed by 11:59 p.m. on the last day to register to vote.
- For paper registrations that are dropped off, delivered, or completed in-person, they must be received before close of business on the registration deadline. The following are acceptable places to drop off your registration form:
- County Recorder's office;
- Arizona Secretary of State's Office
- AZMVD office or affiliate;
- Voter registration assistance agency; or
- Authorized voter registration volunteer office.
- For paper registration forms that are mailed to a County Recorder's office, a registration is timely if:
- The registration form is postmarked on or before the voter registration deadline and received by the County Recorder by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day; or
- The registration form is dated on or before the voter registration deadline and received by the County Recorder within five calendar days after the voter registration deadline. A.R.S § 16-134(C)
- For UOCAVA (uniformed and/or overseas citizens) registrants using an FPCA or FWAB, a registration form is timely if received by the County Recorder's or Secretary of State's Office via mail, email, or fax by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day. A.R.S. § 16-103(C) .
Voter Registration List Maintenance
Voter registration list maintenance is a fundamental component of our elections. Specific list maintenance practices are required by federal and state law. List maintenance occurs throughout the year and is primarily the responsibility of your County Recorder. County Recorders may not cancel voters without following these requirements.
The Arizona Department of Health Services (DHS) provides the Arizona Secretary of State with a monthly file of deceased Arizona residents who passed away during the applicable period for review against the voter registration database. A.R.S § 16-165(D) .
A County Recorder may also cancel a voter's record if the County Recorder determines that the registrant is deceased based on other reliable sources, including, but not limited to, death notices received by the County Recorder's office and an affidavit of death from the registrant's next of kin. A.R.S. § 16-165(A)(2) .
A voter who passes away after casting a valid ballot is still entitled to have their ballot tabulated and votes counted.
The Arizona Superior Courts and Maricopa County Superior Court of Arizona provide records to the Secretary of State's Office containing residents recently convicted of a felony or found mentally incapacitated in that jurisdiction.
The Arizona Secretary of State also receives additional felony conviction information from Arizona superior courts and U.S. Department of Justice, and additional mental incapacitation information from Arizona superior courts.
This information is sent to County Recorders for processing and final resolution.
A County Recorder may receive address change information in various ways: directly from the registrant, from the U.S. Postal Service's (USPS) National Change of Address (NCOA) service, through returned mail from USPS, or from the Electronic Registration Information Center. A County Recorder may update (and in some cases cancel) a registration record following state and federal laws.
If election mail is returned undeliverable, the County Recorder must send a follow-up notice to the registrant within 21 days. The notice must contain a voter registration form or an appropriate internet address through which the registrant can update their address. The notice also must inform the voter that if the voter does not submit a new voter registration form or update their address within 35 days, the registrant will be placed in "inactive" status. A.R.S. § 16-544(E) .
If the voter does not submit a new voter registration form or otherwise update their address by the 35-day deadline, the County Recorder must change the registrant's status to "inactive." A.R.S. § 16-166(A) .
If a voter is in "inactive" status, they can become active again by re-registering to vote or voting in-person. The voter should contact the County Recorder if they have any questions about their registration status: County Election Info
Required Information on Voter Registration Forms
A State, Federal, FPCA, and FWAB Form must contain the following minimum information to be considered complete:
- Full Legal Name
- Residential address or description of location
- Date of birth (DOB)
- Signature (or in cases of physical disability, the signature of a person who helped complete the form on the registrant's behalf)
- Affirmation of citizenship, this is a checkbox the form
- If the registrant possesses an AZDL/ID# or Social Security number (SSN) , the registrant's AZDL/ID# or last four digits of the SSN (SSN4) should be provided as well.
- If the information on the form is incomplete or illegible, the County Recorder shall notify the registrant within 10 business days of receipt of the form, request the missing or illegible information, and inform the registrant that they will remain in "suspense" status until the information is received. A.R.S. § 16-134(B) .
- If the County Recorder receives the requested information by 7:00 p.m. on the date of the next regular general election, the registrant is deemed to have been registered on the date the registration was first received. A.R.S. § 16-121.01(A) .
- If the registrant does not provide the missing, incomplete, or illegible information by 7:00 p.m. on the date of the next regular general election, the registration form is invalid and the registrant's status may be changed from "suspense" to "not registered," with the reason code "pending expired" (or functional equivalent) . The registrant would need to submit a new voter registration application to be eligible to vote in future elections.
Political Party Preference
A registrant may select a political party preference:
- Republican: "Republican," "Rep," "GOP," or any substantially similar designation
- Democratic: "Democratic," "Democrat," Dem," or any substantially similar designation
- Libertarian: "Libertarian," "LBT," or any substantially similar designation
- Green: "Green," "GRN," or any substantially similar designation
- Independent: "Independent," "IND," or any substantially similar designation
- No Labels – "No Labels Party", "No Labels", "NOL" or any substantially similar designation
- Other: Any other non-recognized political party
- PND: "Party Not Designated," "PND," "No Preference," "Unaffiliated," "No Party," "None," or any substantially similar designation
If a new registrant leaves the political party preference field blank, the registrant's party preference will be "Party Not Designated" or "PND."
If an existing registrant leaves the political party preference field blank, however, the registrant's existing political party preference will remain, and no changes will be made.
Registrants who are designated as Independent, Other, or Party Not Designated will all be treated as though they have no political party as none of these are recognized parties at the state level.
Designated Voter Registration Assistance Agencies
- Help in registering to vote without regard to political party or affiliation;
- Develop written policies and conducts internal training to ensure compliance with federal and state voter registration laws;
- Meet with the Arizona Secretary of State and/or County Recorder's Offices to discuss voter registration policies and procedures;
- Receive State Forms (from the applicable County Recorder) and Federal Forms (from the Secretary of State) on a regular basis; and
- Accept and agree to return completed voter registration forms to the applicable County Recorder within five business days of receipt of the completed forms. 52 U.S.C. § 20506; A.R.S. § 16-134(A)
- Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES): Family Assistance Administration (FAA) within the Division of Benefits and Medical Eligibility (DBME)
- Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS)
- Arizona Department of Health Services (DHS): Division of Health Prevention
- Developmental Disabilities Division (DDD)
- Employment and Rehabilitation Services Division (DERS)
- Armed Forces Recruiting Centers