FLAGSTAFF — Early voting for the August 4, 2020 Primary Election started Wednesday, July 8. The Coconino County Elections office mailed out over 44,600 early ballots to voters on the permanent early voting list (PEVL) and those who have requested a single election early ballot for the Primary Election.
Coconino County Recorder Patty Hansen urges all Coconino County registered voters to request an early ballot be mailed to them, or to vote early in person at one of the early voting locations. “Early voting is the safest method for our voters, poll workers and election staff members during this COVID 19 pandemic,” stated Hansen. “Early voters decide how they want to return their voted early ballot: by mail; by dropping it off in a ballot drop box or at an early voting location; or dropping it off at any polling location in the county on Election Day. Recently, there has been a lot of misinformation about fraud associated with early voting. This is just not true,” states Hansen. “We have numerous safeguards and procedures in place that would catch anyone trying to cast fraudulent early ballots.”
The August 4 Primary Election is a partisan primary, meaning voters on the PEVL who are registered with a recognized political party are being mailed an early ballot for the political party indicated on their voter registration form. The recognized political parties in Arizona for the 2020 elections are Democratic, Republican and Libertarian.
Voters on the PEVL who are registered as Independent, with no party affiliation, or an unrecognized political party, were sent a notice at the end of May informing them that they should return the notice indicating which political party ballot they want to receive. If this notice was not returned, the Elections Office cannot mail the voter an early ballot until they tell the Elections Office what party ballot they want to receive. Independent and unaffiliated voters who are on the PEVL and did NOT return their notice may call the Elections Office to request the specific party ballot, or do so online at www.coconino.az.gov/elections, select “Early Ballot Request”.
The Libertarian Party has a closed primary, which means only early voters registered as Libertarian will be mailed a Libertarian ballot. Independent and unaffiliated voters may not request a Libertarian ballot.
All registered voters, not on the PEVL, may request an early ballot for the Primary by: calling the Elections Office; sending a written request to Coconino County Elections Office, 110 E. Cherry Avenue, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001; or submitting an on-line request at www.coconino.az.gov/elections and clicking on “Early Ballot Request.” The deadline to request an early ballot be mailed is July 24.
Early Voting is also available in person at several locations throughout the county. To see the list of early voting locations and their office hours go to www.coconino.az.gov/elections, select “Early Voting Locations”. There will not be in-person early voting this year at the downtown Flagstaff Elections Office. Instead, the Flagstaff in-person early voting locations are at the Flagstaff Mall (next to Dillard’s) and at a drive-up service window located at 2304 N 3rd Street, Flagstaff. There will also be drive-through early voting available in Flagstaff on Saturday, July 25 and Saturday, August 1 at the Flagstaff City Hall, westside parking lot.
For the days and times that the different early voting locations will be open be sure to check the Elections Office’s webpage or call the Elections Office. Days and times may change depending on the situation with the COVID 19 pandemic.
For more information, call the Elections Office at 928-679-7860 or toll-free at 800-793-6181.
