PHOENIX — When it comes to election season the question of everyone's mind is usually who to vote for, but before you can get to that question you need a ballot first.
The early voting process has a few steps, but here's a simple explanation:
Most people no longer wait till ballot day to vote. Instead, they sign up online for a mail-in ballot and vote early, skipping the long lines at polling places on Election Day.
For the August primary election, mail-in ballots will begin to go out on Aug. 1, but voters can still request one until Aug. 17. Those voters then have until Aug. 22 to mail back their ballots marked with their choices.
If you're one of the states 30+ percent of Arizona voters who are registered with the Independent party, you have to request a recognized party ballot in order to vote in the primaries. Voters may make that request online at their county recorder's website.
Lastly, just because you request a mail-in ballot doesn't mean you have to mail it back. If you miss the deadline to send back your ballot, you can drop it off at a polling place on Election Day.