Maricopa County adds in-person voting option for mail ballots

Voters in Maricopa County, Arizona, face a new procedural option on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. For the first time in the state's history, individuals who received their ballots by mail can deliver those unmarked envelopes to a physical polling station to have them counted immediately, rather than mailing them back.

The Maricopa County Election Department confirmed that all 254 voting sites in the county are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. to accommodate this process. The department stated that results tabulated during Election Day will include the votes from citizens using this new in-person drop-off method, ensuring they are reflected in the night-of election tallies.

This change alters the standard workflow for voters who received their ballots early. Previously, a ballot received by mail had to be returned via postal service or a designated drop box. Now, if a voter has not yet cast a vote, they can present their identification at a polling place, submit their mail ballot, and have it processed through a local tabulator on the spot.

Arizona state law requires every voter to present proof of identity when voting in person. The Maricopa County Election Department specifies that the document must contain the voter's name, a photograph, and the address used for voter registration. The identification must also be currently valid.

Acceptable forms of ID include a valid Arizona driver's license, a valid Arizona state identification card, a tribal enrollment card or other tribal identification, and valid identification issued by the federal, state, or local U.S. government. If the single ID presented does not match the voter registration records, the voter must provide two separate proofs of identity.

Polling workers will verify the voter's status upon arrival to confirm they have not already voted. They will then print the specific ballot for that precinct, detailing the exact contests available to that voter. The voting process is completed once the ballot is filled out and tabulated by the machine.

The interactive map provided by the Maricopa County Election Department allows voters to locate their specific polling place. This tool also displays current wait times at various sites across the Phoenix metropolitan area.