Gov. Katie Hobbs signs bipartisan bill to change Arizona primary election dates

PHOENIX — Gov. Katie Hobbs signed a bipartisan bill to permanently change the date of primary elections in the Grand Canyon State after it was passed by the Arizona Legislature.

According to the Maricopa County Elections Department, Hobbs signing HB2022 changes the 2026 primary date and permanently moves Arizona primaries to the second-to-last Tuesday in July. That means this year’s primary election will be on July 21.

The previous date of the primary was the first Tuesday in August.

The change of date is intended to provide election officials more time to prepare for the general election, such as military and overseas voters receiving their ballots in time to participate in the election.

“This was a unified Republican effort leading the way from start to finish,” Sen. Wendy Rogers said in a press release. “By working together across chambers, we delivered a commonsense election bill that protects military voters, brings clarity to our election calendar and strengthens transparency for Arizona voters. This is how the process should work.”

How does the primary election date change affect voters and candidates?

The primary election being moved means that the new voter registration deadline will be June 22, as qualified voters who live in Maricopa County need to be registered 29 days before the election to be eligible to cast a ballot.

Maricopa County election officials noted that in-person early voting will begin on June 24, which is also when ballots will be mailed to those who are on the active early voter list.

In addition, the last day to request a ballot by mail will be July 10.

As for candidates, the date change affects their deadline to file to run for office. Partisan primary candidate filing will now open on Feb. 21 and close on March 23.

Meanwhile, the precinct committeemen write-in deadline will be April 6 and the write-in candidate filing deadline will be May 22.

“My office will work diligently to ensure candidates and voters alike are made aware of the new timeline this election year,” Secretary of State Adrian Fontes said in a Friday X post. “I am grateful for the swift work of the legislature in ushering this bill’s ultimate passage. It is a solid reminder that bipartisan efforts can still benefit every Arizona voter.

“As the year moves along, our office will send continuous reminders to candidates to make sure deadlines are clear. I recommend that voters follow my office on social media and visit our website for important reminders this election year.”

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