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Arizona state legislative Republican primaries, 2018
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 9
- Early voting: Oct. 10 - Nov. 2
- Absentee voting deadline: Postmark Nov. 6
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: No
- Voter ID: Non-photo ID
- Poll times: 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
| 2018 Arizona State Legislature elections | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General | November 6, 2018 |
| Primary | August 28, 2018 |
| 2018 elections | |
|---|---|
| Choose a chamber below: | |
The Republican primary elections for the seats in the Arizona State Senate and Arizona House of Representatives were on August 28, 2018. For information about the Democratic primary elections in Arizona, click here.
The primary in the Senate District 13 featured a matchup between incumbent Sine Kerr (R) and former state Rep. Don Shooter (R), who was expelled from the state House in February 2018 over sexual misconduct allegations. Shooter said some of the allegations were true but that others were not and that he did not deserve to be expelled.
The general election was on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was May 30, 2018. In the state Senate, all 30 seats were up for election. In the state House, all 60 seats were up for election.
Incumbents who did not advance to the general election
Retiring incumbents
Ten state House Republicans did not seek re-election in 2018.
- Brenda Barton (District 6)
- Vince Leach (District 11)
- Eddie Farnsworth (District 12)
- Drew John (District 14)
- Heather Carter (District 15)
- Doug Coleman (District 16)
- J.D. Mesnard (District 17)
- Paul Boyer (District 20)
- David Livingston (District 22)
- Michelle Ugenti-Rita (District 23)
Nine state Senate Republicans did not seek re-election in 2018.
- Steve Smith (District 11)
- Warren Petersen (District 12)
- Gail Griffin (District 14)
- Nancy Barto (District 15)
- Steven B. Yarbrough (District 17)
- Kimberly Yee (District 20)
- Judy Burges (District 22)
- John Kavanagh (District 23)
- Bob Worsley (District 25)
Incumbents defeated
Two state House Republicans were defeated in the primaries.
- Paul Mosley (District 5)
- Darin Mitchell (District 13)
Competitiveness
| Year | Total seats | Open seats | Total candidates | Democratic primaries contested | Republican primaries contested | Total contested | Incumbents contested in primaries | Total incumbents contested in primaries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 90 | 33 | 210 | 21 | 21 | 35% | 26 | 45.6% |
| 2016 | 90 | 26 | 167 | 11 | 13 | 20.0% | 19 | 29.7% |
| 2014 | 90 | 27 | 187 | 10 | 21 | 25.8% | 24 | 38.1% |
Battleground races
Ballotpedia identified battleground races in the 2018 Arizona state legislative Republican primary elections. These primaries had the potential to be more competitive than other races and could have led to changes in the membership of the Republican caucus or had an impact on general election races.
To determine the Arizona state legislative Republican primary battleground races in 2018, Ballotpedia examined races that fit one or more of the three factors listed below:
- Identified by the media as a notable primary election.
- One or more of the candidates received a notable endorsement.
- The primary was known to be competitive based on past results or because it was a rematch of a primary that was competitive in the past.
Senate District 13
Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?
| Yes |
What made this a battleground race?
| Former state Rep. Don Shooter challenged incumbent Sine Kerr (R) after being expelled from the state House in February 2018 over sexual misconduct allegations. Shooter said some of the allegations were true but that others were not and that he did not deserve to be expelled. Another candidate in the race, Brent Backus, challenged Shooter's eligibility to run based on his residence. However, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled on June 27 that he could appear on the ballot.[1] |
Partisan control
The tables below show the partisan breakdowns of the Arizona House of Representatives and the Arizona State Senate as of August 2018:
Arizona House of Representatives
| Party | As of August 2018 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 25 | |
| Republican Party | 35 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 60 | |
Arizona State Senate
| Party | As of August 2018 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 13 | |
| Republican Party | 17 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 30 | |
Media coverage
This section provides an overview of media reactions to the Arizona state legislative Republican primaries.[2] Selected articles are presented as a jumping-off point for deeper exploration of media coverage and as an overview of narratives that have emerged surrounding the elections.
Voter information
How the primary works
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Arizona utilizes a semi-closed primary system. Unaffiliated voters may choose which party's primary they will vote in, but voters registered with a party can only vote in that party's primary.[3]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Poll times
In Arizona, all polling places are open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[4][5]
Registration requirements
- Check your voter registration status here.
To vote in Arizona, one must be a citizen of the United States and a resident of an Arizona county. A voter must be 18 years or older on or before Election Day. Arizona also requires voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship to vote for state and local elections[6]
To be eligible to vote in an election one must register at least 29 days prior to the election. Individuals can register online, in person at the county recorder's office, or by mail.[7]
Automatic registration
Arizona does not practice automatic voter registration.
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
Arizona has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.
Same-day registration
Arizona does not allow same-day voter registration.
Residency requirements
Arizona law requires 29 days of residency in the state before a person may vote.
Verification of citizenship
Arizona requires voters to submit proof of citizenship with their voter registration application to vote in state and local elections. According to the Arizona Secretary of State's website: "A registrant who attests to being a citizen but fails to provide proof of citizenship and whose citizenship is not otherwise verified will be eligible to vote only in federal elections (known as being a 'federal only' voter)."[6] Accepted proof of citizenship include:[6]
- An Arizona Driver's License/Identification Number
- Indian Census Number, Bureau of Indian Affairs Card Number, Tribal Treaty Card Number, or Tribal Enrollment Number
- A photocopy of U.S. naturalization documents
- A photocopy of a birth certificate and supporting legal documentation (i.e., marriage certificate) if the name on the birth certificate is not the same as your current legal name.
- A photocopy of a U.S. passport.
- A photocopy of a Tribal Certificate of Indian Blood or Bureau of Indian Affairs Affidavit of Birth.
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[8] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.
Verifying your registration
The Arizona Voter Information Portal, run by the Arizona Secretary of State's office, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.
Voter ID requirements
Arizona requires voters to present photo identification or two forms of non-photo identification while voting.[9][10]
The following were accepted forms of identification as of October 2025: Click here for the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission's page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.
Voters can present one of the following forms of ID that contain the voter’s photograph, name, and address:
- Arizona driver’s license
- U.S. federal, state, or local government-issued ID, issued with printed name and address
- Arizona ID card
- Tribal enrollment card or other form of tribal ID
If a voter does not have one of the above forms of ID, the voter can present two of the following forms of ID that contain the voter’s name and address:
- Utility bill in the voter's name that is dated within 90 days of the election
- Bank or credit union statement that is dated within 90 days of the date of the election
- Valid Arizona vehicle registration
- Arizona vehicle insurance card
- Indian census card
- Property tax statement
- Recorder's certificate or voter registration card
- Tribal enrollment card or other tribal ID
- Valid U.S. federal, state, or local government-issued ID with a printed name and address or
- Any mailing in the voter's name that is labeled "official election material"
Additionally, if a voter presents photo ID that does not list an address within the precinct in which he or she wants to cast a vote, that person may present the photo ID with one non-photo identification material from the second list above. The identification material should include the voter’s address.
Early voting
Arizona permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.
Absentee voting
All voters are eligible to vote absentee/by-mail in Arizona. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee/by-mail.
To vote absentee/by-mail, an absentee/mail-in ballot application must be received by elections officials by 5:00 p.m. 11 days prior to the election. A returned absentee ballot must then be received by elections officials by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.[11][12]
See also
- Arizona state legislative Democratic primaries, 2018
- Arizona House of Representatives elections, 2018
- Arizona State Senate elections, 2018
- Arizona State Legislature
- Arizona elections, 2018
Footnotes
- ↑ Washington Post, "Court: Arizona lawmaker kicked out amid #MeToo can run again," June 28, 2018
- ↑ In selecting articles for inclusion in this section, Ballotpedia has drawn from a variety of sources and viewpoints to identify articles that are representative of broader trends in media coverage.
- ↑ Arizona Legislature, "Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 16-467," accessed October 20, 2025
- ↑ Arizona Revised Statutes, "Title 16, Section 565," accessed July 18, 2024
- ↑ Arizona generally observes Mountain Standard Time; however, the Navajo Nation observes daylight saving time. Because of this, Mountain Daylight Time is sometimes observed in Arizona.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Arizona Secretary of State, "Voters," accessed July 18, 2024
- ↑ Arizona Secretary of State, "Arizona Voter Registration Instructions," accessed July 18, 2024
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑ ArizonaElections.gov, "What ID Do I Need to Vote Quiz," accessed October 3, 2025
- ↑ Arizona State Legislature, “Arizona Revised Statutes 16-579,” accessed October 3, 2025
- ↑ Arizona State Legislature, “Arizona Revised Statutes 16-541,” accessed July 19, 2024
- ↑ Arizona State Legislature, “Arizona Revised Statutes 16-547,” accessed July 19, 2024
