Maricopa County boosts number of voting centers for August primary election

PHOENIX – Maricopa County will have 212 voting centers for this year’s primary election, about 120 more than were available in 2020, Recorder Stephen Richer said Wednesday.

“It’s because we want to continue to make the process better,” Richer told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show on Wednesday. “And so more voting locations equals lower waiting times equals closer locations.”

Richer said fewer sites were willing to participate two years ago because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’m very excited about making those opportunities available, and anyone in Maricopa County can vote at any of those 212 locations that will be open for the August 2 primary,” he said.

There will also be 15 secure ballot drop boxes, with 13 inside city or town government facilities plus two outside Maricopa County facilities under 24/7 video surveillance, Richer said. Voters who get early ballots can also return them through the mail until a week before Election Day.

Richer said there are steps built into the system to prevent drop boxes from being used fraudulently. He also said anybody who has questions about the process can call his office or sign up to be an election worker.

“And I think you’ll see when working the process that you’ll be working alongside decent human beings and that there is no one fail point, that everything is done in bipartisan teams and everything is checked and everything’s written down and everything’s tied back to an individual registered lawfully registered voter,” he said.

Voters should note the following key dates and deadlines for the primary:

• June 18: Military and overseas ballots are mailed out.
• July 5: Registration deadline to be eligible to vote in the primary.
• July 6: Mail ballots are sent out and drop boxes open.
• July 22: Last day to request a mail ballot.
• July 26: Last day to mail back a ballot.
• Aug. 2: Election Day, when voters can cast their ballot in person or drop off mail ballots.

Maricopa County residents can check their registration status and get more information at BeBallotReady.vote.

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