Primary election to decide nominees in key races
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
All eyes are on Arizona after early voting began Wednesday. Photo: Jeremy Duda/Axios
It's primary election day, and if you haven't voted early, you can still cast your ballot.
Why it matters: The primary winners will shape the general election, and in some races the primary is the only election that really matters.
- Many legislative districts and some congressional districts heavily favor one party, essentially making the general election a formality.
State of play: Polls open at 6am and don't close until 7pm, and as long as you're in line before closing time, you can cast a ballot.
- In Maricopa County, you can vote at any polling place you want. Find a vote center.
- If you still have your early ballot, bring it to a polling place or an official drop box — it's way too late to put it in the mail.
- Remember to bring photo ID if you're voting in person.
1 new option: Voters with early ballots can now bring them to a vote center, show their ID, and have their ballots tabulated on the spot.
- Otherwise, early ballots can't be counted until the voter's signature is verified, which can take days.
There's no U.S. Senate race on the ballot here for the first time since 2014, plus it's a nonpresidential year. But there are still a lot of big races to watch.
Governor: Don't expect much drama in the Republican primary — polling has consistently shown frontrunner Andy Biggs with a huge lead over fellow U.S. Rep. David Schweikert.
- The winner will face incumbent Gov. Katie Hobbs, who's unopposed in the Democratic primary, in what could be the most closely watched governor's race in the country.
1st Congressional District: Marlene Galán-Woods, Rick McCartney, Amish Shah and Jonathan Treble seek the Democratic nomination, while Joseph Chaplik, Jay Feely and John Trobough face off in the Republican primary for the highly competitive seat that Schweikert is vacating.
- Both national parties' congressional campaign committees have thrown their weight behind candidates — the Dems are spending money to help Galán-Woods and the GOP has endorsed Feely, who also has President Trump's support.
4th Congressional District: Kai Newkirk hopes to be the next progressive insurgent to oust an incumbent backed by the Democratic establishment as he challenges U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton.
5th Congressional District: Former Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb is backed by Trump and Turning Point Action but is besieged by allegations of sexual improprieties. Businessperson Daniel Keenan hopes that helps push him over the top in the GOP primary for the heavily Republican, East Valley district being vacated by Biggs.
Attorney general: The fight for the Republican nomination between Rodney Glassman and Warren Petersen has turned into an all-out brawl. The winner will face Democratic AG Kris Mayes.
Scottsdale City Council: Eight candidates are contending for three seats on Scottsdale's fractious City Council.
- Candidates must get a majority to win. At least some seats are likely to go to a runoff in November.
Chandler mayor: City Councilmember Matt Orlando faces state Rep. Jeff Weninger in the race to replace outgoing Mayor Kevin Hartke.