Arizona
Federal grant could ring death knell for coal for rural Arizona power co-ops
Western Arizona gas-fired power plant proposal ignites controversy
A proposed gas-fired “peaker” power plant near Mohave Valley has sparked controversy over its environmental impact and whether it is a better option than solar.
Rural Arizona communities could drastically reduce their emissions as the state’s largest member-owned power cooperative moves to eliminate coal by 2028.
Arizona Electric Power Cooperative, which provides the large majority of power for all but one of Arizona’s rural power co-ops, has said it will eliminate the last of its dwindling coal consumption and construct four large renewable energy projects using money from the Biden Administration.
AEPCO was awarded access to $845 million in “Empowering Rural America” funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture this month.
The cooperative uses coal in one of the six turbine units at its Apache Generating Station south of Willcox in Cochise County. AEPCO plans to eliminate coal from that turbine entirely by the end of 2027, transition the unit to natural gas and eventually reduce its use altogether as newer, cleaner natural gas units and renewable energy projects come online.
The transition will end coal’s nearly decade-long decline at AEPCO generating facilities since 2014 when it made up roughly 90% of the utility’s overall power production.
In place of coal, AEPCO has relied increasingly on natural gas and renewable power sources. Using its newly awarded grant funding and other investments from partner organizations, AEPCO plans to add more renewable power facilities, which it expects will make up more than 60% of its overall production in 2031. AEPCO believes that development will mean a 70% reduction in its greenhouse gas emissions from 2022 levels.
”(The emissions reduction) is huge. This is huge for us,” AEPCO CEO Patrick Ledger said in an interview.
Mohave power: A solar ban, a gas power plant and the rural retirees firing back at dirty energy
How rural co-ops help expand renewable power
The overall boost in power will trickle down to rural cooperatives throughout Arizona and neighboring states that buy power from AEPCO, which produces and transmits power, while member cooperatives receive and distribute it directly to customers.
Eric Hawkins, chief operating officer at Marana-based Trico Electric Cooperative, said the grant funding and new renewable projects will boost Trico’s renewable power production and help cut its 2016-2018 emissions in half by around 2027, five years earlier than its goal.
Since 2010, Trico has cut its share of coal-sourced power from 75% of its power mix to roughly 20%. Meanwhile, renewables have grown from less than 1% to 35% of its power portfolio.
Power cooperatives are member-owned non-profit electricity providers located largely in rural or semi-rural parts of Arizona. Together, cooperatives provide only a fraction of Arizona’s power, with the bulk coming from for-profit providers like Arizona Public Service and Tucson Electric Power.
Nonetheless, federal officials say rural power cooperatives are a key building block in a national transition to renewable power. Experts commonly agree that rural communities face unique challenges in transitioning to cleaner energy, including tough access to workforce and financial capital.
Rural-serving cooperatives have struggled to keep up with other power providers in transitioning to renewable sources. In 2022, coal accounted for 30% of co-ops’ power generation compared to 20% nationally.
Using $9.7 billion appropriated through the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Empowering Rural America program (New ERA) grants are designed to overcome those difficulties and spur clean energy projects in non-urban areas. The USDA approves grant proposals based on their ability to cut carbon emissions.
Money will help overcome limits on rural power co-ops
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and local officials gathered in Marana on Sept. 12 to highlight the awards and tout other USDA programs under the Biden Administration. The town hall event took place in a warehouse at Trico’s headquarters.
Vilsack spoke at a podium in front of a banner draped over the side of a Trico service truck that read: “Project funded by the Biden-Harris Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act — Investing in clean, affordable and reliable energy.”
“We wanted to make sure, in setting this up, that it was a strong, significant investment and message to rural America,” Vilsack said.
Ledger said the New ERA award will help AEPCO overcome some of the limitations inherent to rural power co-ops. In addition to grants, the award included a low-interest loan that AEPCO will use to refinance debt on its existing coal equipment. Outstanding debt is one of the largest barriers for rural cooperatives nationally when abandoning old coal infrastructure.
“By lowering the interest rate on that asset, you lower the cost to the membership, and presumably we can shift over some of what we are capable of collecting and moving that into the new resources like (a new solar project),” Ledger said.
Ledger said the award money has also motivated other local partners to fund future renewables projects. Altogether, AEPCO maintains that the New ERA grant has catalyzed $3 billion in investment toward these renewable energy projects.
AEPCO said it will use its New ERA money to build 800 megawatts of new renewable energy generation, which is equivalent to its entire existing generation capacity. The projects will include three large solar fields that will produce a combined 730 megawatts, as well as a 70 MW wind project.
One of the solar projects — Apache Solar II — is shovel-ready. AEPCO plans to build a second solar facility at an unfinalized location in Pinal County and a third at an unfinalized location within the state. Ledger said the location for the wind project is not yet final.
Grant funding will help fund the construction of solar battery projects with a combined storage capacity of over 2,910 megawatt hours.
Not all of AEPCO’s new projects will exclusively use renewable energy. The cooperative is also working on four new natural gas units meant to operate during cloudy days when the solar facilities can’t deliver enough power.
Two of those units, planned for construction in Mohave County, have triggered controversies among locals. Some residents believe the plants are poorly sited or altogether unnecessary.
As coal-sourced power has cratered throughout the country, many utilities filled the gap with more natural gas than renewables. While coal has dropped 57% since 2013, the country’s renewable power generation has risen by only 27%, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Meanwhile, natural gas-sourced power has grown 60% and now makes up a larger share of total U.S. power generation than renewables, which was not the case 10 years ago.
Power plant fight: In sunny Arizona, a relocated gas plant ignites questions over who profits and who pays
‘Vision of rural communities’
Burning natural gas emits about half the carbon dioxide as burning coal, but some climate experts worry that new natural gas production will lengthen the country’s reliance on fossil fuels and hamper progress toward a zero-emission energy economy. For some climate experts, it is better to keep coal plants running until utilities can replace them with renewables than to replace them sooner with natural gas facilities.
Although utilities are boosting their overall use of renewables, their power mixes could still change as they face new demands from strong economic growth and the urbanization of agricultural land throughout Arizona. Initially started by farmers and ranchers to provide electricity in overlooked areas, power cooperatives now count sprawling housing developments and energy-hungry industrial facilities among their customers.
“We still have some very rural areas that we serve. We also have some areas with a Ritz Carlton,” Hawkins said. “We’re also seeing a lot of interest from large commercial entities — potential data center sites and things like that — that could dramatically increase our amount to growth at any moment.”
At least for rural areas in Trico’s service area, renewables will be a strong competitor going forward. By building small solar projects and microgrids in rural communities, Hawkins explained, Trico will be able to keep those communities running if long-distance transmission lines go down in a storm.
Speaking in Marana on Sept. 12, Ledger argued that this kind of work, and the award money that could make it possible, has been the heart of rural cooperatives’ work since the beginning.
“It embodies a very democratic idea that with the right catalyst, with the right help, we can convert disadvantage — wide distances, smaller sizes, lower income — to advantage and that we can create lasting value in places that are remote,” Ledger said. “It represents an acknowledgment that our country values the vision of rural communities.”
Austin Corona covers environmental issues for The Arizona Republic and azcentral. Send tips or questions to austin.corona@arizonarepublic.com.
Environmental coverage on azcentral.com and in The Arizona Republic is supported by a grant from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.
Sign up for AZ Climate, our weekly environment newsletter, and follow The Republic environmental reporting team at environment.azcentral.com and @azcenvironment on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Arizona
Arizona big pass plays have been limited last 2 weeks
Arizona finished eighth nationally with 61 completions of 20 or more yards and fifth with 33 of 30 or more yards in the 2023 season. After beginning the 2024 season with 11 completions of 15 or more yards versus New Mexico, Arizona has only nine in their last two games versus Northern Arizona and Kansas State.
The Lumberjacks limited All-American wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan to two receptions for 11 yards. McMillan had 11 receptions for 138 yards versus Kansas State, but only three catches for 15 or more yards. Opponents are learning to limit the big plays by Arizona in the passing game and making Arizona drive down the field.
Arizona began the game with a 14-play, 73-yard drive in 7:28 to take a 7-0 lead. In their final eight drives, Arizona finished with 251 total yards on 47 plays. Arizona drove to the Kansas State 37 and 23 in the second half before turning the ball over on downs. The inability to finish drives has to be corrected during the bye week.
Arizona is barely inside the top 30 with long pass plays after three weeks. Most of the long pass completions for Arizona came versus New Mexico. Arizona was unable to connect for big plays versus Kansas State despite them ranking 109th nationally in pass plays allowed of 20 or more yards.
McMillan had seven of the 11 receptions of 15 or more yards versus New Mexico. None of the four completions of 15 or more yards versus NAU were to McMillan and he had three and Montana Lemonius-Craig had two at Kansas State. Arizona thrives at its best under Fifita and McMillan connecting on big pass plays.
There should be opportunities for big plays later this season. Central Florida, Texas Tech and West Virginia all rank below 100th nationally allowing pass plays of 20 or more yards. Brent Brennan and offensive coordinator Dino Babers need to find a way to get their receivers open deep during the bye week.
Arizona
Arizona State Fair 2024: 12 wildest new foods — cotton candy cake to bacon taco
Best things to eat at the Arizona State Fair in 2023
These are the fair foods worth standing in line for at the Arizona State Fair, from tacos to sweet treats.
The 2024 Arizona State Fair is just around the corner. Some guests may go for the rides, the carnival games, the concerts at the Coliseum or the farm animals on display. But perhaps one of the most exciting things about the state fair is the chance to try all the wacky foods, from ooey gooey desserts to deep-fried everything.
This year, vendors at the Arizona State Fair are introducing over 40 new menu items across the fairgrounds, including cakes made of cotton candy and pretzels covered in Flaming Hot Cheetos.
Here are 12 of the wildest new foods to try at the 2024 Arizona State Fair.
Cowboy Crunch
A sweet dessert option is the Cowboy Crunch, which comprises a thick and chewy oatmeal cookie crumble loaded and topped with chocolate chips, vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. Available at Totally Baked Cookie Joint (#31 on the map).
Fried Giant Mozzarella Stick
This is not your average mozzarella stick. The fried giant mozzarella stick is exactly what it sounds like: a deep fried, 8-inch mozzarella stick. Available at Hog Daddy’s Roadhouse (#82).
Ultimate Arizona State Fair 2024 guide: Concerts, tickets, hours and location
Pretzels
Three new pretzels are available from Going Nuts (#28). The first is the massive chocolate nut twist, covered in a white chocolate and chocolate drizzle and chopped pecans. Then there is the Flaming hot twist, which comprises nacho cheese on a Bavarian style pretzel topped with Hot Cheeto crunch. Finally, there is the cinnamon twist, covered in white chocolate drizzle and cinnamon sugar crystals.
Watermelon Taco
The new watermelon taco features a slice of watermelon scooped out to resemble a taco shell, filled with your choice of mango, pineapple or watermelon soft serve topped with a tamarind stick. Available at Pineapple Express (#13).
Candied Watermelon or Pineapple
Pineapple Express (#13) is also introducing the option of either a watermelon or pineapple slice on a stick, wrapped in a fruit roll up and topped with chamoy and tajin.
Pickle Split
Another new item from Pineapple Express (#13) is the pickle split: imagine a traditional banana split. Now imagine it with dill pickle, pineapple dole whip, sour spaghetti straw candy and chamoy tajin. Still can’t imagine how that would taste? You’ll simply have to try it (or not).
Spam-on-a-stick
One of the greatest joys of the state fair is all sorts of foods served on a stick. The new spam-on-a-stick takes the canned meat you’re probably familiar with and batters and deep fries it. Available at Boba King (#21).
Crispy Chicken Funnel Cake
The new crispy chicken funnel cake takes the classic state fair dessert and adds a savory twist. Available at Stizzy’s Iron Skillet Funnel Cakes (#64).
Birthday Cake Shake
If you’re celebrating your birthday during state fair season, what better way than with a cake batter milkshake topped with a funfetti cupcake? Available at Swirl Ice Cream (#24).
Cotton Candy Cake
Another option for state fair birthdays, the cotton candy cake is a multi-layered cake made entirely of cotton candy and sprinkled with colorful sugar crystals. Available at Candyland (#7).
Elephant Ears
Since the state fair is known for insane foods, it feels necessary to clarify these are not actual elephant ears. This new treat from Mason’s Den (#20) comprises giant pieces of golden-brown, deep-fried dough topped with cinnamon and sugar.
Bacon Taco
Exactly what it sounds like: this new item from Carne Cafe Taco Stand (#49) comprises a hard taco shell stuffed with bacon.
Reach the reporter at endia.fontanez@gannett.com. Follow @EndiaFontanez on X, formerly Twitter.
Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
Arizona
2024 Arizona General Election voter guide: Here's what to know before you vote
PHOENIX – Learn how to register to vote, find election dates and deadlines, the candidates, polling station locations, voting by mail safety, what to bring to the polls, and how to track your early ballot’s status.
When is the general election for Arizona?
Per the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office, 2024’s general election will take place on November 5.
Why did they set November 5 as Election Day for 2024?
The date of the election is governed by Arizona law.
Under state law, presidential electors are to be selected on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November 1956, and every four years thereafter.
“On the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, 1956, and quadrennially thereafter, there shall be elected a number of presidential electors equal to the number of United States senators and representatives in Congress from this state,” read the state law.
A different section of state law also sets the same day for congressional, state, and county elections.
For 2024, this means the election will be held on November 5, as November 4 is the first Monday of the month.
What offices are on the ballot?
A number of offices are on the ballot, including:
- The U.S. Presidency
- A U.S. Senate seat
- All of Arizona’s nine congressional seats
- State Senators (1 per district)
- State Representatives (2 per district)
- Corporation Commission (3 seats)
- Retention of 2 Arizona Supreme Court justices
- Retention of four Court of Appeals judges
Voters will also vote on a number of ballot proposition measures.
Election officials have noted the length of this year’s ballot: per the Associated Press, eight of the state’s 15 counties will use two-page ballots, citing a spokesperson for the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office.
The exact length will vary even in a single county because the ballots also incorporate local contests. Maricopa County’s ballot alone will average 79 contests for local, state and federal races, as well as statewide ballot propositions.
What happened after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race?
President Joe Biden, who won Arizona’s Democratic Presidential Preference Election in March and was the party’s presumptive nominee, announced his decision to withdraw from the race on July 21, 2024.
On the same day President Biden withdrew from the race, he endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement. Ultimately, Harris was nominated, and she formally accepted her nomination during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
The list of general election candidates on the Arizona Secretary of State’s website clearly shows Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, as the Democratic Party presidential and vice presidential candidates, respectively.
How can I check to see if I am registered to vote?
You can check your voter registration status on Arizona.vote.
Will my political affiliation affect the way I vote?
Unlike the presidential preference election in March and the primary election in July, general elections are open to all registered voters.
What is the election timeline?
Per the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office:
- Oct. 7: Last day to register to vote in the general election
- Oct. 9: Early voting begins. Early ballots will be mailed to voters who are on the Active Early Voting List, as well as voters who requested a one-time ballot by mail.
- Oct. 25: Deadline to request a ballot-by-mail.
- Nov. 1: Early in-person vote deadline
- Nov. 5: General Election Day
- Nov. 10: ID verification deadline (for conditional provisional ballots), as well as deadline for curing of early ballot affidavit signatures
- Nov. 21: Deadline for the Boards of Supervisors in all Arizona counties to canvass returns for the election
- Nov. 25: Official statewide canvassing of the election
- Dec. 17: Arizona’s electoral college meets
Besides the presidential race, who else is running in the election?
Voters wait to cast their ballots on November 8, 2022 in Tucson. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
As we mentioned earlier, a number of federal and statewide races are on the ballot this November. The candidates for these races include:
U.S. Senate
- Christopher Beckett (Independent, write-in)
- David Bozic (“NON”, write-in)
- Ruben Gallego (Democratic)
- Kari Lake (Republican)
- Shawn Petty (“NON”, write-in)
- Jannie Prosser (Republican, write-in)
- Eduardo Quintana (Green)
- Benjamin Rodriguez (US Altogether Party, write-in)
- Steven Sanders, Independent, write-in)
- Sarah Williams (Libertarian, write-in)
The incumbent for this seat, independent Kyrsten Sinema, is not running for re-election.
U.S. House (District 1)
- David Schweikert (Republican, incumbent)
- Amish Shah (Democratic)
U.S. House (District 2)
- David Alexander (Democratic, write-in)
- Eli Crane (Republican, incumbent)
- Richard Ester (Independent, write-in)
- Jonathan Nez (Democratic)
- Charles “Charlie” Holt, Jr. (“NON”, write-in)
U.S. House (District 3)
- Yassamin Ansari (Democratic)
- Alan Aversa (Green)
- Jeff Zink (Republican)
The incumbent for this seat, Ruben Gallego, is running for Senate.
U.S. House (District 4)
- Vincent Beck-Jones (Green)
- Kelly Cooper (Republican)
- Greg Stanton (Democratic, incumbent)
U.S. House (District 5)
- Andy Biggs (Republican, incumbent)
- Katrina Schaffner (Democratic)
U.S. House (District 6)
- Juan Ciscomani (Republican, incumbent)
- Athena Eastwood (Green)
- Kirsten Engel (Democratic)
- Luis Pozzolo (Independent, write-in)
U.S. House (District 7)
- Daniel Francis Butierez Sr. (Republican)
- Raúl M. Grijalva (Democratic, incumbent)
U.S. House (District 8)
- Abraham “Abe” Hamadeh (Republican)
- Gregory Whitten (Democratic)
The incumbent for this seat, Republican Debbie Lesko, is not running for re-election. She is running for a seat on the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors.
U.S. House (District 9)
- Paul Gosar (Republican, incumbent)
- Quacy Smith (Democratic)
Corporation Commission (3 seats)
- Ylenia Aguilar (Democratic)
- Mike Cease (Green)
- Jonathon Hill (Democratic)
- Nina Luxenberg (Green)
- Rene Lopez (Republican)
- Lea Marquez Peterson (Republican, incumbent)
- Joshua Polacheck (Democratic)
- Rachel Walden (Republican)
Voters will also take part in judicial retention votes, in addition to votes for various ballot propositions and local offices.
In Cottonwood, voters will also decide whether an incumbent city council member will be able to remain in office in a recall election.
What are the ballot propositions on the ballot this November?
A look at a sample two-page ballot that is similar to the one that some voters will vote on during the November 2024 general election in Arizona.
Proposition 133 – Changes to the state’s direct primary election law
Proposition 134 – Changes to the way ballot measures qualify for the ballot
Proposition 135 – Changes to the way a state of emergency works in Arizona
Proposition 136 – Allows a person to contest the constitution of a ballot measure prior to the election
Proposition 137 – Removes defined term in office and regular retention vote for judges and justices in Arizona.
Proposition 138 – Allows tipped employees to be paid up to 25% per hour less than minimum wage, so long as they are paid at least the minimum wage plus $2 per hour, for all hours worked.
Proposition 139 – Enshrines right to abortion in the state constitution
Proposition 140 – Makes a number of changes to elections in Arizona
Proposition 311 – Establishes $250,000 in death benefits to the surviving spouse of children of a first responder killed while on duty as a result of another person’s criminal act, funded by new fee on criminal conviction.
Proposition 312 – Allows property owners to apple a once-per-tax-year refund for “documented, reasonable expenses” incurred to mitigate the effects of a city, town, or county maintaining a public nuisance on the owner’s real property.
Proposition 313 – Requires a person convicted of a Class 2 felony for any child sex trafficking offense to serve the rest of their natural life in prison, with no possibility of release in any form.
Proposition 314 – Also known as the “Secure the Border Act,” the proposition, per an analysis by the state’s Legislative Council, will create criminal penalties against ” a person who is not lawfully present in the United States and who submits false documentation when both applying for public benefits and during the employment eligibility verification process.” It will also make it a Class 2 felony for a person to “knowingly sell fentanyl if the person knows that the drug being sold contains fentanyl, that the fentanyl was not lawfully manufactured or imported into the United States and that the drug caused the death of another person,” in addition to making it illegal, under state law, to enter Arizona from a place other than a lawful port of entry.
Proposition 315 – This measure, if approved, would require a state agency to submit proposed rules to the Office of Economic Opportunity for review, if such rules are expected to “increase regulatory costs in Arizona by more than $100,000 within five years after implementation,” and would require legislative approval for rules that are found to increase regulatory costs in arizona by over $500,000 within five years after the rules are implemented.
Are there any local propositions?
Coconino, Maricopa and Yavapai Counties have ballot measures that are either specific to that county, or to specific areas within those counties.
Coconino County
Proposition 482 – The measure will, if approved, adjust the state-imposed base expenditure limit of the entire county upward by $7.7 million.
Proposition 484 – Specific to those living within the Page Hospital District boundaries, the measure will, if approved, authorize the district to continue to levy a secondary property tax on all taxable property within the district in order to provide for the operation and maintenance of Page Hospital.
Proposition 485 – Specific to Tusayan, the measure proposes an “alternative expenditure limitation” for the town as a replacement to the state-imposed limit for the next four years. Tusayan’s town council will determine the amount of the limitation for the fiscal year, after at least one public hearing.
Proposition 487 – Specific to Flagstaff, the measure, if approved, will allow the city to continue to collect its 2% lodging, restaurant, and lounge transaction privilege tax (commonly referred to as a sales tax) for an extended time period from April 1, 2029 to June 30, 2043.
Proposition 488 – Specific to Flagstaff, the measure aims to increase the city’s 0.295% sales tax that is related to public transit to 0.5%, beginning on July 1, 2025 until June 30, 2040.
Maricopa County
Proposition 479 – If approved by Maricopa County voters, the measure will extend the city’s half-cent transportation sales tax for 20 years. 40.5% of the proceeds will be allocated to freeways and state highways within the county, 37% of the proceeds will go towards public transportation, and 22.5% will go towards arterial streets, intersection improvements, and regional transportation infrastructure.
Yavapai County
Proposition 478 – Specific to Prescott, the measure proposes a 0.95% sales tax for public safety purposes within the city. If approved, the new tax will take effect on April 1, 2025, and reduced to (0.75%) by December 31, 2035.
Proposition 479 – The measure would, if approved, adjust the state-imposed base expenditure limit of the entire county upward by $7.9 million.
Proposition 480 – Specific to Cottonwood, the measure seeks voter approval of the city’s General Plan, or their long-range plan for the area’s development.
Proposition 483 – Specific to Sedona, the measure involves the use of a piece of six-acre, city-owned land for the city’s “safe place to park” program through June 30, 2026.
How can I register to vote?
There are a number of ways people can register to vote in the November election, but they need to be done prior to the Oct. 7 deadline.
Details on voter registration can be found on the Arizona Secretary of State’s website.
I’ll be out of town. How and where can I vote?
Arizona.vote states that Official Election Mail cannot be automatically forwarded by the postal service, but a voter may contact their County Recorder and request that their ballot be sent to their temporary address.
Is voting by mail safe?
The Arizona Secretary of State’s Office states that a number of measures are in place to secure the vote-by-mail process, including:
- Tamper-evident envelopes
- Ballot tracking
- Security requirements for ballot drop-off locations and ballot dropboxes
- Signature verification
- Criminal penalties for misconduct
FOX 10’s John Hook also gave us a look at the procedures that are followed when processing mail-in ballots.
Do I need a stamp to send a mail-in ballot back?
Stamps are not needed, per the Secretary of State’s office, because all early ballots come with a postage-paid return envelope.
How can I return my ballot after the mail-in deadline?
If it’s too late to return your ballot by mail, a voter can return the ballot by putting it in a secure ballot drop box, if one exists in their county, or drop it off at any voting location in their county on Election Day.
How can I track my ballot status?
Ballot status can be tracked on Arizona.vote.
When do the polls open on Election Day?
Polling stations will open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. on Election Day. (Mountain Standard Time)
You can check out FOX10Phoenix.com for the latest election results after the polls close.
Where can I vote or drop off my ballot?
A list of voting locations in Maricopa County can be found on their Elections Department’s website. Similarly, Pima County officials have made a list of their voting locations available online.
If you live in any other Arizona counties, you can find your voting location on Arizona.vote.
What sort of ID do I need to bring to the polling place?
Per the Maricopa County Elections Department, voters need to bring either one valid government ID that has the voter’s name, photo, and address where they are registered to vote, or two non-photo identifications that have the voter’s name and the address where they are registered to vote, but no photo.
The exact requirements are on the Elections Department’s website.
How do I report voting issues?
If you experience issues while voting, you can file an election complaint with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.
“If your complaint requires immediate law enforcement intervention due to a crime in progress or an escalating situation, contact your local police department immediately,” read a portion of the website.
How does the government count my vote?
Depending on when you cast your ballot, the answer will be different.
Early ballots dropped off before Election Day
According to the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office, state law allows county election officials to start counting early ballots immediately after they are received and verified.
“All early and provisional ballots are initially processed by a County Recorder’s Office for signature verification then transferred to the officer in charge of elections for tabulation at a central counting place. Counties can begin tabulation any time after early voting has begun, and most early ballots will be tabulated in the weeks leading up to the election,” a portion of the website reads.
Early ballots dropped off on Election Day
The Secretary of State’s Office says that early ballots they received on Election Day will be counted in the days immediately following the election.
“Remember, all early ballots must go through the signature verification process prior to being tabulated, which takes time,” officials write.
Ballots cast on Election Day
Officials say ballots cast on Election Day will be counted either on-site, or at a central counting location within a county.
“This process varies by county, so please check with your county elections officials to learn more about what you might experience at your polling location,” the website reads.
Is there a way for me to track my early ballot?
You can track the status of your early ballot on Arizona.vote.
Should you be given a provisional ballot for this election, you can track them via a special section of Arizona.vote.
What is the Electoral College?
A congressional aide examines electoral college votes from the State of Maine in the Chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2021. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Per Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute, the presidency is not directly elected by the people: the U.S. Constitution sets forth an election procedure called the electoral college to select a presidential candidate.
The Electoral College procedure was amended via the 12th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and remains valid to this day. It reads:
“The electors shall meet in their respective states and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President, and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and of all persons voted for as Vice-President, and of the number of votes for each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate.”
It should be noted that under the constitution, the nation’s Vice President is also the President of the Senate.
The constitution also states how many electoral votes a state is entitled to, which is the sum of the state’s congressional seats, as well as the two Senate seats each state has. While states are allotted congressional seats based on their population size, each state can only have two Senators.
Arizona has nine congressional seats, which means the state has 11 electoral votes in this election. All of the state’s 11 electoral votes are awarded to the presidential candidate who received the most votes in Arizona.
Who are the Arizona presidential electors for this election?
The list of general election candidates on the Arizona Secretary of State’s website shows the electors selected by each party.
The electors for each presidential candidate are listed below, in the order listed on the Secretary of State’s list of candidates:
Kamala Harris & Tim Walz (Democratic)
- Yolanda Bejarano
- Constance DeLarge
- Coral Evans
- Amelia Flores
- Marisol Garcia
- Doreen Garlid
- Adelita Grijalva
- Molly McGovern
- Priya Sundareshan
- Maria Valdez
- Dora Vasquez
Jill Stein & Butch Ware (Green)
- Steven Adger
- Amee Beck-Jones
- Michael Cease
- Athena Eastwood
- Cody Hannah
- Nina Luxenberg
- Scott Menor
- Michael Montano
- Kira Ogola
- Eduardo Quintana
- Jennifer Stefanow
Chase Oliver and Mike ter Maat (Libertarian)
- Howard Blitz
- Thomas Deaton
- Katie Dopson
- Eric Fowler
- Roman Garcia
- Nicole Giver
- Rebekah Massie
- Michael McFarland
- Sheila Reid-Shaver
- Cory Tallman
- David Hurst Thomas III
Donald Trump and JD Vance (Republican)
- Abegal Gonzalez
- Lisa Green
- Nathan C. Jackson
- Thomas W. Lewis
- Dottie Lizer
- Myron Lizer
- Steven R. McEwen
- Belinda Rodriguez
- Trevor Smith
- Gina Swoboda
- Robert L. Swoboda
How are these electors chosen before the election?
Per the National Archives, there are actually very few provisions in the U.S. Constitution on who is qualified to be an elector.
“Article II, section 1, clause 2 provides that no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an elector. As a historical matter, the 14th Amendment provides that State officials who have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the United States or given aid and comfort to its enemies are disqualified from serving as electors. This prohibition relates to the post-Civil War era,” read a portion of the National Archives’ website.
The website also states that each party’s slate of electors are chosen by the party, with different rules depending on the state.
“Generally, the parties either nominate slates of potential electors at their State party conventions, or they chose them by a vote of the party’s central committee. This happens in each State for each party by whatever rules the State party and (sometimes) the national party have for the process,” read a portion of the website. “Political parties often choose individuals for the slate to recognize their service and dedication to that political party. They may be State elected officials, State party leaders, or people in the State who have a personal or political affiliation with their party’s Presidential candidate.”
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