PHOENIX — Time is running out to register to vote in the 2020 election in Arizona: You must be registered by Oct. 15.
To be eligible to vote in Arizona, you must:
- Be a United States citizen
- Be a resident of Arizona and the county listed on your registration
- Be 18 years of age or older on or before the day of the next regular General Election
You cannot register to vote if you’ve been convicted of a felony and have not had your rights restored or have been judged incapacitated by a court of law.
The deadline to register to vote or update your registration with a change of address or party affiliation is midnight on the 29th day before the election.
For the 2020 presidential election, the original deadline was Oct. 5, but a judge's ruling extended the deadline to Oct. 23 before a federal appeals court ordered it to end on Oct. 15.
Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs said for voters who choose to vote in person, there is a plan in place to keep everyone safe.
"You will see measures taking place at all of those voting locations to ensure health and safety: distancing, mask-wearing, sanitizing and those things," Hobbs said.
Hobbs also emphasized why voting is so important.
"Your vote is your opportunity to have a voice in our local, state and federal government, and have a say in deciding who gets to make decisions about your life,” she said.
Here are the steps you need to take to make sure you aren’t turned away from the polls on Election Day.
If you have an Arizona driver’s license or a non-operating ID card issued by the Motor Vehicle Division, you can register to vote online. Here’s where you can do that.
You can also register to vote by mail. Print out this registration form or request one by mail from your county recorder and mail it back to the county recorder’s office.
If you prefer to register in person, you can visit your county recorder’s office to fill out a registration form there.
Once you’ve successfully registered, you will get your voter registration card in the mail within four to six weeks.
If you happen to have more questions regarding the 2020 election in Arizona, 12 News has created an article for everything you need to know.
For an election guide or voter resources, check out the article here.
