In the general elections on November 5 in Arizona, voters have various competitive contests at stake, from control of the White House, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the United States to both chambers of the state legislature. Arizona remains a crucial state in American politics, especially after Joe Biden became the second Democratic presidential candidate to win there in nearly 70 years.
Among the major contests are the presidential, featuring Kamala Harris (D), Donald Trump (R), Chase Oliver (Libertarian), and Jill Stein (Green); the federal Senate race, with Ruben Gallego (D) and Kari Lake (R), among others; and races in the 1st Congressional District and 6th Congressional District. Several ballot measures will also be voted on, such as Proposition 133 (Partisan Primary Elections) and Proposition 314 (Establish penalties for unauthorized border crossings).
In Arizona, vote counting is expected to begin to be revealed after all voting districts have reported or one hour after all polls close, whichever comes first, typically at 10 p.m. ET. The state has a historical voter turnout of 71%, and in the 2020 elections, about 89% of the votes were cast before Election Day.
Maricopa County, the most influential in Arizona, has drawn attention as it has tended to favor Democrats in recent elections. In the county, early and mail-in voting is significant, and in the 2022 elections, about 20% of the votes cast were mail-in votes delivered on Election Day. The delay in tabulating these votes is because they begin to be processed after the polls close.
Regarding the results of past contests, in 2020, Biden won in Arizona by a narrow margin over Trump. Maricopa County, which includes cities like Phoenix and Mesa, has been key in state elections. In the 2022 U.S. Senate elections, Democrat Mark Kelly started with an advantage over Republican Blake Masters, although this diminished as results were certified.
In the case of a margin of votes equal to or less than 0.5% of the total, recounts in Arizona are automatic. Until the Associated Press determines a winner, any significant events in the state related to the elections will continue to be reported.
