Maricopa County Prepares for Lengthy 2-Page Ballot in November Election

For the first time in two decades, Maricopa County voters will face a two-page ballot come November. This significant change, announced on Wednesday by election officials, applies to both early mail-in voting and ballots cast on Election Day.

The upcoming ballot will feature an average of 79 contests, marking a wide array of choices from the presidential race to local school board positions and state legislature seats. The last occasion a two-page ballot was utilized in Arizona was in 2006, highlighting the rarity of this event.

Adrian Borunda, a spokesperson for the Maricopa County Elections Department, encouraged voters to prepare in advance by visiting BeBallotReady.Vote, where they anticipate posting sample ballots soon. Voters are also reminded of the benefits of early voting and mail-in ballots to avoid long lines on Election Day.

Borunda addressed the concern of voter fatigue, noting that an extensive list of races might overwhelm some voters. He emphasized the importance of accessibility and urged residents to take advantage of early voting to ease the process.

Voter registration closes on Oct. 7, with early voting set to commence just two days later. For those looking to vote by mail, requests must be made by Oct. 25.

The presidential election is likely to drive a surge in voter participation, and Borunda reassured that the county is prepared to manage this increase. He expressed confidence that issues encountered during the 2022 midterms—such as the ballot printer malfunctions at 70 polling locations—will not recur. Voters had previously faced confusion as ballots were either placed in a special collection drawer for later tabulation or redirected to alternative vote centers.

In response to previous challenges, the county has replaced faulty printers and thoroughly tested current equipment to ensure it can handle the complexities of two-page ballots. Moreover, if any tabulation issues arise, the previously used collection method, referred to as Door #3, will remain in place to guarantee every vote is counted.

However, the introduction of two-page ballots may result in slower tabulation and reporting of results, a concern that has already sparked debates among voters and observers. Additionally, accurately gauging voter turnout could become problematic, as turnout is typically measured by the number of one-page ballots counted—some voters may only return one page.

This year’s lengthy ballot is largely attributed to a series of proposed statutory and constitutional changes slated for voter consideration, not only in Maricopa County but statewide. Republican lawmakers have contributed to this increase, proposing 11 measures as a strategy to advance items likely to be vetoed by Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs. This marks the highest number of legislative referrals since 1984, when lawmakers approved 13 measures.

These proposed measures include significant changes, such as a ban on ranked choice voting, empowering Arizona police officers and judges to detain and deport migrants, and allowing state judges to receive lifetime appointments. Citizen initiatives have introduced two ballot proposals, one aimed at enshrining abortion protections in the state constitution and another for establishing open primaries. However, the latter’s validity is currently under judicial review concerning the adequacy of signature collection for ballot qualification.