Following the passage of House Bill 2022, Secretary of State Adrian Fontes released the following statement outlining the updated election timeline for the 2026 midterm with a new Primary Election date of July 21.
“My office will work diligently to ensure candidates and voters alike are made aware of the new timeline this election year,” Secretary Fontes stated. “I am grateful for the swift work of the legislature in ushering this bill’s ultimate passage. It is a solid reminder that bipartisan efforts can still benefit every Arizona voter. As the year moves along, our office will send continuous reminders to candidates to make sure deadlines are clear. I recommend that voters follow my office on social media and visit our website for important reminders this election year.”
It’s important that candidates know they do not have to file a new Statement of Interest with the new Primary date. The same goes for signature petition sheets. Individuals do not have to create a new file in E-qual system and any paper petitions properly filed will be accepted by the appropriate filing office even with the old Primary date. This is similar to the process in 2024 when the Primary date was moved up one week with an emergency clause.
Updated 2026 timeline:
* Primary Election Date: July 21.
* Voter Registration Deadline for the Primary: June 22.
* Early Voting Start Date for the Primary: June 24.
* Last Day to Request a Ballot by Mail for Primary: July 10.
* Candidate filing begins: Feb. 23.
* Candidate filing deadline: March 23.
