By Ethan Faverino |
On Friday, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs signed a Republican bill passed on a bipartisan vote by the Arizona Legislature to change the date of the 2026 primary and permanently move Arizona primaries to the second to last Tuesday in July.
The legislation permanently shifts the primary election date earlier, ensures timely ballot access for military voters overseas, and mandates clearer guidelines for political party observers at polling sites, marking a significant step toward greater election integrity and consistency ahead of the 2026 election cycle.
HB 2022 addresses longstanding issues with Arizona’s election calendar by moving the primary from August 4 to the second-to-last Tuesday in July – specifically July 21 for 2026.
This two-week adjustment resolves conflicts with federal requirements under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), which mandates that ballots be sent to military and overseas voters at least 45 days before an election. Previously, Arizona’s timeline risked delays, potentially disenfranchising service members.
By advancing the date, the bill ensures that ballots are mailed on time, giving voters abroad ample time to receive, complete, and return them.
The measure also enhances transparency and oversight by explicitly requiring authorized political party observers to be permitted at all voting locations, including early voting centers and emergency voting sites.
The bill was sponosored by Rep. Alexander Kolodin (R-LD3) with a mirrored bill (SB 1425) sponsored in the Arizona Senate by Sen. Wendy Rogers (R-LD7).
“Arizona law has always intended to protect the integrity of our elections, including for military voters and at ALL voting locations,” said Rep. Kolodin. “I am delighted that Governor Hobbs agreed with me that this commonsense reform and legislation is necessary.”
“This was a unified Republican effort leading the way from start to finish,” Senator Rogers added. “By working together across chambers, we delivered a commonsense election bill that protects military voters, brings clarity to our election calendar, and strengthens transparency for Arizona voters. This is how the process should work.”
New voter deadlines are as follows:
- Voter Registration Deadline: June 22, 2026
- Ballots are mailed to voters on the Active Early Voter List and In-Person Early Voting Begins: June 24, 2026
- Primary Election Day: July 21, 2026
The Primary date change also impacts filing deadlines for candidates running for office.
Filing Dates:
- Partisan Primary Candidate Filing: Feb. 21, 2026 – March 23, 2026
- Precinct Committeemen Write-In Deadline: April 6, 2026
- Write-In Candidate Filing Deadline: May 22, 2026
The measure had the full support of the Arizona Freedom Caucus (AFC). In a statement, AFC Chairman Senator Jake Hoffman (R-LD15) said, “Governor Hobbs signing Representative Kolodin’s HB 2022 is a huge win for election integirty in Arizona. While Adrian Fontes is making radical and unserious legislative proposals, like expanding unaccountable, sprawling voting centers and reinstating a permanent early voter list, Representative Kolodin is leading with bipartisan supermajorities.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
