ARIZONA NEWS

Here’s what you need to know about Tuesday’s election in Arizona

Nov 2, 2020, 4:35 AM

(KTAR News/ Kaci Demarest)...

(KTAR News/ Kaci Demarest)

(KTAR News/ Kaci Demarest)

PHOENIX – Arizona voters will hit the polls Tuesday with a ballot full of positions to vote on like president, U.S. senator, U.S. representatives and more.

The presidential election between incumbent Republican President Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Joe Biden will be the most watched race of the evening.

At the local level, the biggest race of the night will arguably be between incumbent Republican Senator Martha McSally and Democratic candidate Mark Kelly.

Recent polling from OH Predictive Insights showed both Democrats, Biden and Kelly, had leads over their Republican opponents, Trump and McSally, respectively, heading into the final stretch of the election season.

If you are planning to take to the polls on Tuesday, KTAR News 92.3 FM has you covered. Here is everything you need to know about voting in Tuesday’s election:

How many people are expected to vote?

As of Saturday, more than 2.3 million Arizona voters had returned their ballots early. In Maricopa County, over 1.6 million voters had returned their ballots, which was more than the number of voters who participated in the 2016 general election, according to the Maricopa County Elections Department.

Who is running for what seats?

Aside from the presidential election between Biden and Trump and the major Arizona Senate race with McSally and Kelly, Arizona voters have their hands full with other local races.

Democrat Tom O’Halleran will attempt to hold on to his seat in Congressional District 1, while Republican Tiffany Shedd will move to unseat him.

Republican David Schweikert will look to hold on to his seat in Congressional District 6 against Democrat Hiral Tipereni.

In the Arizona legislature, both the Arizona House and Senate have key races, which could ultimately flip control of the legislature.

In the state House, Republicans are vulnerable in Districts 6, 20, 21 and 23 while Democrats are vulnerable in Districts 4, 17 and 18. In the state Senate, Republicans face tight races in Districts 6, 17 and 28.

You can find your legislative district by visiting BallotReady.org.

Phoenix, Scottsdale and Gilbert will be voting for a mayor as well.

In Phoenix, voters will decide between incumbent Mayor Kate Gallego and challengers Merissa Hamilton and Tim Seay.

Scottsdale and Gilbert will both be electing a new mayor after the previous mayors stepped away from their offices in different ways. In Scottsdale, voters will decide between Lisa Borowsky and Dave Ortega. The Town of Gilbert will choose between Matt Nielsen and Brigette Peterson.

Voters will also face a handful of races at the county level as well.

Incumbent Republican Maricopa County Attorney Allister Adel is looking to retain her position after being appointed to the office in October 2019. She is being challenged by Democratic candidate Julie Gunnigle.

Democrat Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone is looking to keep his position, and is running against Republican challenger Jerry Sheridan.

Incumbent Republican Eddie Cook was appointed to the Maricopa County Assessor’s role after Paul Petersen quit and pleaded guilty to criminal charges in Arizona, Utah and Arkansas related to his private adoption practice. Cook is looking to retain his position and is up against Democratic challenger Aaron Connor.

Incumbent Democrat Maricopa County Recorder Adrian Fontes is also looking to retain his seat against Republican challenger Stephen Richer.

In Maricopa County, Arizona voters are also faced with deciding if nearly 50 judges will retain their positions.

What else will I be voting on?

Voters across Arizona are facing two statewide ballot initiatives.

Proposition 207, also known as the Smart and Safe Arizona Act, aims to legalize recreational marijuana for anyone 21 or older. The proposition would enact a 16% tax on its sale that would fund community colleges, public safety, public health programs and roads and highways.

Proposition 208, also known as Invest in Ed, proposes a 3.5% income tax surcharge on individuals making $250,000 a year and couples making $500,000. The money generated from the tax would go to Arizona public schools to help increase salaries for teachers, nurses, counselors, classroom aides and bus drivers.

Where can I vote?

Voters in Maricopa County can choose any polling location they want this year.

To find your polling location (polls open at 6 a.m.), visit the Arizona Secretary of State’s website and plug in your address to find the closest location to you.

Voters will also need to bring a form of ID with them, such as a valid driver’s license, to cast a ballot. Other forms of acceptable IDs include a passport along with a recent utility bill or another ID with your name and address.

If you received an early voting ballot but did not get it in the mail in time to be counted, you can take it to your local polling place, skip the line and turn it in.

When will the results be determined?

The polls will close at 7 p.m. but as long as you are in line by then you will be able to vote. The results are expected to start trickling in an hour after the polls close; however, Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs has previously said to not expect final results on Election Night.

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Here’s what you need to know about Tuesday’s election in Arizona