Arizona · General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026
Your ballot, explained.
The eight statewide propositions in the official words, every candidate for federal, statewide and legislative office and judges up for retention. County and local races are on your sample ballot. No endorsements. Every claim links to its source.
What this guide covers and what it is still missing. Propositions: the plain-words summaries come from the Secretary of State's ballot language, the Legislature's Legislative Council analyses and the named arguments in the Secretary of State's publicity pamphlet, read through a summary tool. The official ballot wording (titles, YES and NO statements) is copied word for word from the ballot language PDF; no claim checks, costs or campaign money are included. Candidates: names and parties are from the Secretary of State's 2026 General Election candidate listing (read from a browser-saved copy, party as printed codes); write-in candidates are not shown as cards; no candidate background is researched yet. Judges: 82 retention names from the pamphlet; the question wording and Superior Court judges in 11 counties are missing. Local: county, city, school and special-district races and questions are not covered. Your sample ballot is the final word (Arizona Voter Information Portal ).
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Heard this? Here are the facts
Each claim gets a plain status: True, False, or Promised, not law.
- Heard this? "You must have a photo ID to vote in person in Arizona." False
The facts: At the polls you show one photo ID (such as an Arizona driver license, a tribal ID, or a government-issued ID), or two documents that show your name and address (such as a utility bill or bank statement dated within 90 days of the election). Proposition 144 on this year's ballot would change the ID rules for elections starting in 2028; it is not law yet. source: apps.azsos.gov (Arizona Secretary of State) source: azsos.gov (Arizona Secretary of State) - Heard this? "You can still register to vote for the November 3 election." False
The facts: The deadline to register for the November 3, 2026 election was 11:59 p.m. on Monday, October 5, 2026. If you are already registered, you can still vote early in person through October 30 and request a mail ballot through October 23. source: apps.azsos.gov (Arizona Secretary of State) source: azsos.gov (Arizona Secretary of State) - Heard this? "A mailed ballot counts if it is postmarked by Election Day." False
The facts: Voted ballots must be received by county election officials by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day, November 3. The pamphlet advises mailing yours back 7 to 10 days before the election; you can also drop an early ballot at any voting location in your county on Election Day. source: apps.azsos.gov (Arizona Secretary of State) - Heard this? "You'll get $5,000 after the election." Promised, not law
The facts: On Sept. 9, 2026 the President promised every adult $5,000, a "Trump Dividend", if Republicans keep both the House and the Senate. It is a campaign promise that depends on the election results; no law or payment exists today. Congress would have to pass it, and AP estimates it would cost over $1 trillion. Is this legal? Experts disagree. Richard Painter, chief White House ethics lawyer under President George W. Bush, wrote: "No, Mr. President you can't offer voters $5000 if the Republicans win the House and Senate." Former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner called it a completed crime under the federal vote-buying law (18 U.S.C. 597). Election attorney John Day told AP it is legal because it would go to everyone regardless of how they vote: "This is a campaign promise." Rice University political scientist Mark Jones: "It's unsavory, but it's legal." Your ballot is secret, so no payment can depend on how you personally vote. source: kold.com source: internazionale.it source: newsweek.com source: ibtimes.co.uk source: katv.com - Heard this? "Someone can legally pay you to vote, or to vote a certain way." False
The facts: No. Paying or offering to pay anyone to vote or to register to vote in a federal election is a federal crime (52 U.S.C. 10307(c)). Accepting the payment is a crime too. source: law.cornell.edu - Heard this? "The $1 million-a-day giveaway in 2024 paid people for voting." False
The facts: That contest was open only to registered voters in seven swing states, and entering meant signing a petition, not voting. The group's lawyer told a Pennsylvania court the winners were "not chosen by chance". The judge let it continue. source: aljazeera.com
Checked against official sources, court records and news reports. We update this as new claims go around.
- Ballot Propositions 8 for every voter
- Races and candidates 202 candidates in 76 races
- Judges 82 retention votes
Key dates
Need a number to call? County recorders (all 15 counties).
- The deadline to register to vote for this election was 11:59 p.m. on Monday, October 5, 2026.
- In-person early voting began Wednesday, October 7. The last day to request a ballot by mail (or join the Active Early Voter List) is Friday, October 23. The last day of in-person early voting is Friday, October 30, until 7:00 p.m.; emergency early voting runs from 7:00 p.m. that Friday until 5:00 p.m. Monday, November 2.
- Voted ballots must be received by county election officials by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day. The pamphlet says to mail yours back 7 to 10 days before the election; on Election Day you can drop an early ballot at any voting location in your county.
- Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Polls are open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and anyone in line at 7:00 p.m. may vote. Bring ID.
- These dates were read from the Secretary of State's publicity pamphlet and election calendar through a summary tool, not word for word. Check them with your county recorder.
Dates from the Secretary of State's Publicity Pamphlet (General Voting Information) and the 2025-2026 election calendar (PDF) . Check your registration and sample ballot on the Arizona Voter Information Portal .
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