Maricopa County announces final August primary voting numbers

PHOENIX – Eight days after the primary, Maricopa County announced the final Aug. 4 voting numbers.

The county saw a 35.4% turnout with 860,704 ballots cast out of more than 2.4 million eligible voters, the elections department said Wednesday.

This confirms that August Primary Election voting numbers set a county record.

This was about a 23% gain on the 2018 mark of 699,636 votes, and almost 55% more than the 2016 total of 555,844 votes.

Maricopa County said this increase came with more in-person voting centers and easier accessibility to acquire mail-in ballots and sign-ups for the permanent early voting list.

More than 90% of ballots were cast early, Maricopa County Recorder Adrian Fontes said.

“Maricopa County’s vote-by-mail system is safe, secure and the most popular option among our voters. Over 800,000 early ballots were cast in this historic August Primary Election,” Fontes said in a statement.

“We are pleased with this strong voter turnout and look forward to continuing to increase access with options that provide voters with more opportunities to engage in their elections.”

Clint Hickman, the District 4 Maricopa County board of supervisors chairman, said that new tabulation equipment helped count results quicker.

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors will canvass the election Friday at 9:30 a.m. to ensure all ballots are accounted for and valid.

Follow @Logan_Newsman