Hey, Arizona!

Temperatures are dropping as campaigns are heating up across our beautiful state. You know what that means — it’s time to vote!

It’s a midterm year, which means key congressional seats and top state positions are up for grabs. There’s also a host of ballot measures awaiting voters this year.

Generally, you can expect national media to be laser-focused on the competitive races in Arizona’s CD1 and CD6, which respectively cover parts of the Phoenix and Tucson metros. Those seats could help determine the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives.

For my part, I’ll be watching the secretary of state contest between Democrat Adrian Fontes and Republican Alex Kolodin. The winner will oversee the high-stakes 2028 presidential race in our state. I’ll also be keeping an eye on Prop. 144, which would require mail voters to provide ID, among other election-related changes. And, like every other local reporter, I’m eagerly waiting to see the results of the gubernatorial and key legislative contests.

Election Day is Nov. 3, but the vast majority of voters cast mail ballots, which were sent out yesterday by local election officials. Voting will continue in the coming weeks.

Here’s a quick list of things to keep in mind for this election:

Voting by mail? Be sure to get your ballot in the post and on its way back to election officials by Oct. 27, at the latest. 📫
Traveling? Get in touch with your county recorder to ensure your ballot is forwarded to you. ✈️
You must show ID to vote at the polls. Mail voters who drop off their ballots at a voting site can also show ID to have their ballot counted sooner. 🪪
All ballots must be received by your county by 7 p.m. on Election Day to count. 🕖
Voters can sign up to track their ballots! Learn about that — and other election tips — here. 👀

So far, things appear to be running pretty smoothly — although there’s been a teeny bit of drama in Maricopa County, where more than 3,000 mail ballots got sent out a bit early last week. Recorder Justin Heap said the error was made by Runbeck Election Services, the county’s ballot vendor, but that the mistake shouldn’t affect voters.

Unfortunately, that didn’t stop President Donald Trump from claiming the error was intentional. He called the county “very, very dishonest” in a news conference on Monday.

That almost certainly puts Heap, who was elected with support from Trump allies who have questioned the results of past elections, in an uncomfortable position. I haven’t seen any direct response to the president’s remarks from Heap or his office, but some of his allies have started to point fingers at the county’s supervisors, noting that they control the county’s contract with Runbeck. That prompted one of those local leaders to clarify that Heap has “every right” to dump the vendor if he wanted to, although he’d likely have to wait until after the election when the contract comes up for renewal.

“They can work with procurement to find a new vendor if they desire,” Supervisor Debbie Lesko tweeted on Thursday, adding that the recorder’s office “knows this and has acknowledged this in writing.”

That’s it for this week, but I’ll be keeping tabs on more election-related storylines as they develop throughout the voting period — so, I’ll be back in your inbox soon. Tell a friend to sign up here so they don’t miss out.

In the meantime, let me know what I should look into next. You can reach me anytime at [email protected].

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On the Lighter Side

On Monday, I managed to cajole my cats into starring in a social media video reminding my fellow Arizonans about the voter registration deadline.

I want you to know that this took no small amount of effort. There was begging and pleading and forced posing. There were loud meows of protest. There was a purée treat offered. There was, at one point, blood drawn and loud cursing about these “f****** orange demons from the depths of…” …you get the picture.

So, I was very sad that so few of you watched the finished product — and I wanted to give my kitties a second chance to shine in this newsletter.

I know the deadline has passed. But my cats are very cute and very knowledgeable about voting. If you get a chance, please give Calvin and Hobbes a watch! 😺😺

The Big Story

Everything you need to know about how to vote in Arizona’s 2026 election

Here’s how to register to vote, cast a mail ballot, and vote in person in Arizona’s 2026 midterm elections for Congress, governor, secretary of state, attorney general, and more.