Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has signed a bipartisan bill that changes the state’s primary election date. The new law, approved by the Arizona Legislature and signed on February 6, 2026, moves the primary from the first Tuesday in August to the second-to-last Tuesday in July.
For Santa Cruz County, this means the 2026 primary election will take place on July 21. According to state officials, the earlier date is intended to give election workers more time to prepare for the general election and help ensure ballots reach military and overseas voters on time.
Voters must register by June 22, 2026, to participate in the primary. Early voting begins on June 24, when ballots will be mailed to those on the Active Early Voter List and in-person early voting opens. The deadline for partisan primary candidate filings runs from February 23 through March 23. Precinct committeemen write-in candidates have until April 6 to file, while other write-in candidates must file by May 22.
Santa Cruz County residents are encouraged to review these updated dates and plan ahead for participation or candidacy. More information can be found at the Santa Cruz County Elections Department website: https://www.santacruzcountyaz.gov/1053/2026-Elections-2026-Elecciones
In recent years, education data from Santa Cruz County shows ongoing challenges for students. In the 2022-23 school year, over seventy-four percent of students in grades three through eight did not pass the mathematics section of statewide assessments (source). High schoolers faced similar difficulties; eighty-four percent failed math on their ACTs (source). English scores were also low: sixty-six percent of younger students and seventy-two percent of high schoolers did not pass their respective English assessments (source).
However, there have been some improvements. In the most recent academic year (2023-24), eighteen percent of high schoolers passed the mathematics section of their ACTs (source), while nearly twenty-four percent of third through eighth graders passed math on statewide tests (source).
“Voters and prospective candidates are encouraged to review these updated dates and plan accordingly.”
