The Arizona Primaries are here. Here’s what will be on the ballot if you live in Maricopa County

The deadline to mail out absentee ballots for Arizona’s primary election has officially passed, but there is still plenty of time for Phoenicians to get to the polls.

The primary election in Arizona takes place on July 21. The last day to mail out ballots was July 14, but registered voters can still drop them off at designated drop-off locations or at their nearest polling site.

Arizona conducts elections predominantly by mail. About 93% of the Democratic primary vote and about 79% of the Republican primary vote in the 2022 state primaries was cast early in person or by mail. As of Thursday, about 755,000 ballots had already been cast in Tuesday’s election, roughly 335,000 from Democrats and 347,000 from Republicans. 

Arizonans will have a chance to select their preferred party candidate for governor, treasurer, superintendent and more statewide executive offices. Voters across the state will also set the general election matchups for competitive U.S. House seats as well as state legislative districts.

Those who obtain majority votes during this primary will face the opposing party on Nov. 3. The last day to register for this election is Oct. 5, with early voting beginning Oct. 7.

Maricopa County is by far the most populous and most influential of the state’s 15 counties in both Democratic and Republican statewide primaries. It is home to Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe and Mesa and contributed about 61% of the vote in the 2024 presidential general election. Pima County was a distant second with about 15% of the vote.

All polls will open at 6 a.m. and will close at 7 p.m. Anyone in line to vote by 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote. 

Here are the nominees Arizonans voting in Maricopa County will see on their ballots this upcoming election. 

Governor 

The Arizona governorship is a top takeover opportunity for Republicans in a midterm environment where voters historically have punished the party occupying the White House. The eventual winner, along with their statewide political organization, could play an important role in the 2028 presidential campaign, as Arizona is once again expected to be a critical battleground.

• Katie Hobbs (D); incumbent: Hobbs remains a progressive head of state, albeit willing to work on both sides of the aisle. Her policies support the middle class, affordable housing and a reprieve for those impacted by federal cuts to healthcare by canceling $642 million in medical debt for half a million Arizonans. 

• Andy Biggs (R): A five-term U.S. representative, Biggs is a former chair of the conservative House Freedom Caucus. Biggs has a key endorsement from Trump.

Other candidates:

• Risa Lombardo (Green) 

• Hugh Lytle (Independent) 

• Ken Miceli (R)

• Scott Neely (R)

• David S. Schweikert (R)

• Teri Ann Hourihan (No labels)

Secretary of State 

The secretary of state’s primary function is to oversee state elections, along with business registry services. The office-holder has also functioned as lieutenant governor, but that will change after the Nov. 3 general election, when Arizonans will get the chance to elect heir first eve lieutenant governor. Incumbent Democrat Adrian Fontes will fight to keep his seat in November, facing one of two Republican candidates — one is an election administrator while the other is an election attorney.

• Adrian P. Fontes (D); incumbent: Fontes is a staunch advocate for privacy protection and transparency, especially regarding voting by mail. He also established the AI and Election Security Advisory Committee to “assess risks and identify opportunities.” 

• Alexander “Alex” Kolodin (R): The current member of the Arizona House of Representatives is a teacher-turned-attorney who says voters don’t trust elections. He has heavily criticized election officials, described existing election systems as dysfunctional, and says he cares more about the will of voters than the concerns of election officials.

• Gina Swoboda (R): The former chair of the Arizona Republican Party previously worked for the secretary’s office and helped craft election legislation at the state Capitol. She pledges to work with local election officials, candidates, and other stakeholders to make behind-the-scenes technology improvements and run elections reliably and transparently.

Other candidates:

• Duwayne Collier (Green) 

State Treasurer 

The state treasurer is responsible for managing over $32 billion in investments and overseeing the cash management of the Arizona state budget approved by the Legislature and governor.

• Elijah Norton (R): Norton, a businessman and “committed conservative” with no prior experience in politics, has credited himself with stabilizing the GOP’s finances when he was treasurer of the Arizona Republican Party during the 2024 election cycle.

• Katherine Haley (R): Endorsed by Treasurer Kimberly Yee to fill her seat, Haley is a business owner serving as the president of the Arizona State Board of Education and has experience aiding and advising politicians in Washington, D.C.

• Nick Mansour (D): Like his Republican fellow candidates, Mansour does not have experience in public office. He has built an entrepreneurial career in “finance, emergency support, and education” — the latter his primary focus for this office as he campaigns to lead the fight in November as the only Democrat on the primary ticket.

Superintendent of Public Instruction 

The head of this office oversees K-12 academic instruction in public schools across the state and runs the Arizona Department of Education.

• Tom Horne (R); incumbent: Credited with halting the inclusion of ethnic studies in Tucson classrooms, Horne is seeking his third term as head of this office. In addition to attacking DEI academic instruction and initiatives, during his recent term he oversaw the state’s school voucher program, which was found to have several issues with how personal expenses were monitored. Horne has also promoted the implementation of conservative “learning modules” from Prager University Foundation in Arizona classrooms. 

• Kimberly Yee (R): Giving Horne a run for his seat is party-fellow Yee, who recently stepped away from her state role as treasurer to run.

• Teresa Leyba Ruiz (D): The lead progressive candidate to run schools in Arizona, Leyba Ruiz brings 35 years of teaching experience to her campaign, with a focus on student achievement and educator support.

• Brett Matthew Newby (D): With 20 years of experience as an educator and a behavioral anaylust, the other Democrat on the ticket is running on a platform focused on eliminating Arizona’s school voucher program   

Attorney General

The person leading this office serves as the state’s principal lawyer, defending consumers and leading prosecutions on behalf of the state’s interests.

• Kris Mayes (D); incumbent: A staunch critic of the current Trump administration, Mayes has joined numerous lawsuits against various presidential executive orders and advocated on behalf of Arizona residents who have reported attacks and assaults from federal officers.

• Warren Petersen (R): The longtime conservative state legislator is seeking to step away from his duties as president of the Arizona Senate to run for the state’s chief legal office. Petersen is championing his work at the Arizona Legislature in his current run, focusing on unauthorized immigration, targeting trans rights and protecting the Second Amendment.

• Rodney Glassman (R): Running a similar platform as his fellow Republican, the longtime attorney is focusing his campaign on border security and working with Trump to “keep our families safe.”

Arizona Corporation Commission

The Arizona Corporation Commission is the state body responsible for regulating consumer prices and regulations related to public utility companies. With two major companies vying for a rate hike this year — Arizona Public Service and Tucson Electric Power — the board’s votes will be decisive in upcoming cost-of-living changes for Arizonans living in the state’s most populated counties. Two seats are up for re-election.

• Nick Myers (R); incumbent: As chairman of the corporation, Myers has played an integral role in the board’s decision since 2022.

• Kevin Thompson (R); incumbent: Like his fellow board member, Thompson was elected to the corporation in 2022, opposing energy-saving regulations that prioritize ethical and social impact, also known as ESGs.

• Ralph Heap (R): The one-term state representative is looking for a seat on the board to fight against ESGs.

• Clara Pratte (D): A Clean Elections candidate, the Navajo Nation member is running on a platform to lower costs, create jobs and expand clean energy. A small business owner, Pratte has experience working at the U.S. Small Business Administration and the U.S. Department of Commerce.

• Jonathon Hill (D): A scientist and engineer, Hill brings decades of experience studying environmental impact to help lead the state’s energy cost distribution, affordability and climate resiliency.

U.S. House of Representatives 

Tasked with pushing legislation that represents the needs of their districts’ constituents, Arizona has a total of 30 districts, with two representatives for each. Find your district and representative by visiting house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative. 

To learn more about each candidate, click on the link to their campaign page.

1st Congressional District — North Phoenix, Scottsdale & Cave Creek 

In the race to replace Schweikert in the competitive swing 1st Congressional District, the Republican field features state Rep. Joseph Chaplik, sportscaster and former Arizona Cardinals placekicker Jay Feely and technology and telecommunications executive John Trobough.

The Democratic primary includes former state Rep. Amish Shah and former local news anchor Marlene Galán-Woods. Shah won the nomination two years ago, while Galán-Woods finished third out of six candidates. Shah received 48% of the vote against Schweikert in the general election. 

• Marlene Galan-Woods (D) 

• Rick McCartney (D) 

• Amish Shah (D) 

• Jonathan Treble (D) 

• Joseph Chaplik (R)

• Jay Feely (R)

• John Trobough (R)

• Monica Alponte (Libertarian) 

2nd Congressional District — South Phoenix & Maricopa 

• Eli Crane (R); incumbent

• Jonathan Nez (D) 

• Curtis Goodwin (Libertarian) 

3rd Congressional District — West Phoenix 

• Yassamin Ansari (D); incumbent

• Alan Aversa (Independent) 

4th Congressional District — Mesa, Tempe, Chandler & Gilbert   

• Greg Stanton (D); incumbent

• Zuhdi Jasser (R)

• Kai Newkirk (D) 

• John Fillmore (Independent)

• Tisha Benoit (Independent)

5th Congressional District — East Valley 

• Brian Hualde (D) 

• Chris James (D) 

• Elizabeth Lee (D) 

• Daniel Keenan (R)

• Mark Lamb (R)

8th Congressional District — Northwest Phoenix 

• Abraham Hamadeh (R); incumbent

• Bernadette Greene-Placentia (D) 

• Raymond Keeler (D) 

Arizona State Senators and Representatives

In the state Legislature, all 30 state Senate seats and all 60 state House seats are up for election. Republicans hold slim majorities in both chambers. Democrats have not controlled the state Senate since 1992 or the state House since 1966. Find your district using this tool from the Arizona Legislature website: azleg.gov/findmylegislator/.

Most legislative districts only have one person from each party running for senator. In the race for the House of Representatives, voters must elect two to represent their district. 

To learn more about each candidate, click on the link to their campaign page.

LD 2 — Maricopa 

Senate:

• Shawnna Bolick (R); incumbent 

• Timothy Ferrara (R)

• Amelia Gallitano (D) 

• Dan Toporek (D) 

House:

• Justin Wilmeth (R); incumbent 

• Danielle Skranak (R)

• Stephanie Simacek (D)

LD 3 — Maricopa 

Senate:

• John Kavanagh (R); incumbent 

• Robert Wallace (R)

• Jeff Fortney (D) 

House:

• George Khalaf (R)

• Cody Reim (R)

• Jay Schlum (R)

• Thomas Walsh (R)

• Julie Gable (D) 

• Richard "Rick" Spargo (D) 

LD 4 — Maricopa 

Senate:

• Carine Werner (R); incumbent 

• Aaron Lieberman (D) 

House:

• Pamela Carter (R); incumbent 

• Matt Gress (R); incumbent 

• Sandra Christensen (R)

• Tammy Caputi (D) 

• Karen Gresham (D) 

LD 5 — Maricopa 

Senate:

• Christine Marsh (D) 

• Jason LaForest (Independent) 

House:

• Sarah Liguori (D); incumbent

• Aaron Márquez (D); incumbent

LD 8 — Maricopa 

Senate:

• Lauren Kuby (D); incumbent 

• Deborah Nardozzi (D) 

House:

• Janeen Connolly (D); incumbent 

• Brian Garcia (D); incumbent 

• Claudia Kline (D)

• Donald Hawker (R)

LD 9 — Maricopa 

Senate:

• Kiana Sears (D); incumbent 

• Bridget Fitzgibbons (R)

House:

• Lorena Austin (D); incumbent 

• Bradley Bettencourt (R)

• Jacob Martinez (R)

LD 10 — Maricopa & Pinal 

Senate:

• Dave Farnsworth (R); incumbent 

• Blair Moses (D) 

House:

• Justin Olson (R); incumbent 

• Ciara Anderson (R)

• James Rogers (R)

• Brian Calaway (D) 

• Helen Hunter (D) 

• David Scott (Independent)

LD 11 — Maricopa 

Senate:

• Catherine Miranda (D); incumbent 

• Joshua Ayala (R)

House:

• Junelle Cavero (D); incumbent 

• Oscar De Los Santos (D); incumbent 

• Cesar Aleman (R)

• Joseph Dailey (R)

LD 12 — Maricopa 

Senate:

• Patty Contreras (D) 

• Anthony Ramirez (Independent) 

House:

• Stacey Travers (D); incumbent 

• Armando Montero (D) 

• David Richardson (R)

LD 13 — Maricopa 

Senate:

• Julie Willoughby (R)

• Kristie O’Brien (D) 

House:

• Kevin Hartke (R)

• Debra Schinke (R)

• Janet Weninger (R)

• Racquel "Rockee" Armstrong (D) 

• Jacob Weinberg (D) 

LD 14 — Maricopa 

Senate:

• Mylie Biggs (R)

• Stephanie Walsh (D) 

House:

• Laurin Hendrix (R); incumbent 

• Tyler Farnsworth (R)

• Jedidiah "Jed" Lyons (R)

• Mary Rose (D)

LD 15 — Maricopa & Pinal 

Senate:

• Jake Hoffman (R); incumbent 

• Jayme Accalia (D) 

House:

• Neal Carter (R); incumbent 

• Michael Way (R); incumbent 

LD 24 — Maricopa 

Senate:

• Analise Ortiz (D); incumbent 

• Frank Steele (R)

House:

• Lydia Hernandez (D); incumbent 

• Lisbeth Arescurenaga (D)

• Rosa Cantu (D)

• Alberto Flores (D)

• Delores McLaughlin (R)

LD 26 — Maricopa 

Senate:

• Flavio Bravo (D); incumbent 

• Jim Bishop (R)

House:

• Cesar Aguilar (D); incumbent 

• Quantá Crews (D); incumbent 

• Jonathan McKenna (R)

• Frank Roberts (R)

• Hector Gomez (Green)

LD 27 — Maricopa 

Senate:

• Kevin Payne (R); incumbent 

• Anthony Kern (R)

• Kyle Clayton (D) 

House:

• Lisa Fink (R); incumbent 

• Tony Rivero (R); incumbent 

• Deborah Howard (D)

LD 28 — Maricopa

Senate:

• Frank Carroll (R); incumbent 

• Michael Braun (D) 

House:

• David Livingston (R); incumbent 

• Beverly Pingerelli (R); incumbent 

• Heather Rooks (R)

• Barbara Fike (D) 

• Marc Graham (D) 

LD 29 — Maricopa 

Senate:

• Janae Shamp (R); incumbent 

• Eric Stafford (D) 

House:

• Steve Montenegro (R); incumbent 

• James Taylor (R); incumbent 

The Associated Press and Votebeat contributed to this article.

Analisa Valdez (she/her) is a freelance journalist based in Phoenix. Her reporting includes community & culture, social justice, arts, business, and politics.