Voter Education

To register to vote you must meet the following simple requirements:

• 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

A Guide to Voter Rights in Arizona-

• What you need to know before you cast your ballot (The Arizona Republic)

• Online – If you have an Arizona Driver License and/or an Arizona non-operating I.D. card issued by the Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) you may register to vote through Service Arizona EZ Voter Registration(link is external)
  1. Log on to Service Arizona.com(link is external)
  2. Select your language preference, then click “Begin/Update Voter Registration”
  3. Verify your voter eligibility
  4. Enter your information in the required fields
  5. Verify address information
  6. You can now select your party preference

If you are having trouble logging in to the Service Arizona website, you can print off a Voter Registration Form (PDF) and fill it out with your new information. After you finish, mail the completed form to your County Recorder’s office and your information will be processed.

• By Mail – You can either print off a form online (PDF) or request that a registration form be mailed to you from your County Recorder. After completing the voter registration form, mail it to your county recorder’s office.
• In-Person – You may visit your County Recorder’s Office and fill out a registration form in person.
• Address Confidentiality Program Members – You should only register to vote through the ACP process.

After you have successfully registered to vote you will receive a voter registration card in the mail within 4-6 weeks.

From Arizona Secretary of State

BeBallotReady.Vote

Arizona Voter Information Portal

https://my.arizona.vote/PortalList.aspx

Created by the Secretary of State's Office, here you can confirm your registration is ACTIVE, check your address and party affiliation, request a Ballot-by-Mail, and check the status of your Ballot-by-Mail.

Sign up with the Maricopa County Recorder's Office to receive text and/or email alerts.

Click on the image below.

Maricopa County Recorder Frequently Asked Questions:

https://recorder.maricopa.gov/site/faq.aspx

There are three ways that you can vote in the state of Arizona:

1. **By Mail (recommended at this time)- Request your ballot be sent to you in the mail. Arizona has an Active Early Voting List (AEVL) that allows voters to receive a ballot in the mail for every election they are qualified to vote in, or you can request a one-time mail-in ballot. Find out more information here. 
2. In Person Day of Election - Find your polling location to vote on Election Day by using the Where Do I Vote tool. Polling locations are usually open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Check to make sure that you have the proper identification needed in order to vote.
3. In Person Early Voting - In Arizona, it is possible to cast your ballot before Election Day. Voters can choose from any Vote Center. Find an early voting center or secure dropbox by using the Where Do I Vote tool. *
4. GCC Student Union is now an Early Voting Center.

Absentee and Out-Of-State Voters

Absentee voting allows you to vote by mail. There are certain rules and processes that each state follows as to who can participate. 

If you know that you qualify to receive an absentee ballot, you can request to have it sent to you by mail.

Overseas and military voters, click here for more information.

Who Votes in Arizona?

Although these stats are from 2015, Arizona has a low percentage of college-age voters. Your vote is important!

Infographic by Lisa Irish/AZEdNews

Why Register?

Historically in the United States, voting has been limited to a select few. At the beginning of the nation, this only included white male property owners and then later left voting rights to the individual states where many imposed restrictions based on property, race, gender, and even religion. During Reconstruction, the 15th Amendment gave black citizens the right to vote; however, following the end of Reconstruction, many states reimposed restrictions such as poll taxes and literacy tests (which were nearly impossible for anyone to pass) that were given at the discretion of the poll worker,s leading to wide-spread disenfranchisement of minority and poor voters. Intimidation and violence also impeded the right to vote for many citizens. After decades of marches and collective action, the 19th Amendment granted women the right to vote in 1920, but this largely did not extend to women of color. The Civil Rights movement lead to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, extending rights to all citizens over the age of 18. Unfortunately, many barriers such as gerrymandering of districts and various state restrictions on restoring voting rights to released felons still exist today. Exercising your right to vote honors all who have fought for that right.

Rickards, Dylan Scott. "Voting Rights." Governments of the World: A Global Guide to Citizens' Rights and Responsibilities, edited by C. Neal Tate, vol. 4, Macmillan Reference USA, 2006, pp. 279-283. Gale eBooks, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3447400344/GVRL?u=mcc_glendale&sid=GVRL&xid=9099e788. Accessed 17 Sept. 2020.