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Arizona State Senate elections, 2020
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| 2020 Arizona Senate Elections | |
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| General | November 3, 2020 |
| Primary | August 4, 2020 |
| Past Election Results |
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| 2020 Elections | |
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| Choose a chamber below: | |
Elections for the office of Arizona State Senate took place in 2020. The general election was held on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for August 4, 2020. The filing deadline was April 6, 2020.
The Arizona State Senate was one of 86 state legislative chambers holding elections in 2020. All 30 seats in the Arizona State Senate were up for election in 2020. There are 99 chambers throughout the country. In 2018, 87 out of 99 legislative chambers held elections.
For detailed campaign finance information for the elections in this chamber, click here.
Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.
Arizona made no changes to its August 4, 2020, primary election.
For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.
Party control
| Party | As of September 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 13 | |
| Republican Party | 17 | |
| Other | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 30 | |
Candidates
Primary election
The candidate list below is based on candidate filing lists provided by the Arizona Secretary of State. (i) denotes an incumbent.[1]
Arizona State Senate primary election |
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| Office |  Democratic |
 Republican |
Other |
| District 1 |
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| District 2 |
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| District 3 |
The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 4 |
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| District 5 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 6 |
Did not make the ballot: |
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| District 7 |
The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 8 |
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| District 9 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 10 |
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| District 11 |
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| District 12 |
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| District 13 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 14 |
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| District 15 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 16 |
The Democratic primary was canceled. |
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| District 17 |
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| District 18 |
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| District 19 |
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Steven Robinson (Write-in) |
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| District 20 |
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| District 21 |
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| District 22 |
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| District 23 |
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Did not make the ballot: |
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| District 24 |
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| District 25 |
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| District 26 |
Did not make the ballot: |
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| District 27 |
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| District 28 |
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| District 29 |
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| District 30 |
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C. Curtis Porter (Write-in) |
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= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate ConnectionGeneral election
Campaign finance
The section and tables below contain data from financial reports submitted to state agencies. Districts and elections are grouped in sections of 10. To view data for a district, click on the appropriate bar below to expand it. The data is gathered and made available by Transparency USA.
Incumbents who did not advance to the general election
Incumbents defeated in primary elections
Two incumbents were defeated in the August 4 primaries.
| Name | Party | Office |
|---|---|---|
| Sylvia Allen |  Republican |
Senate District 6 |
| Heather Carter | Republican |
Senate District 15 |
Retiring incumbents
There were five open seats where the incumbent legislator did not file for re-election in 2020.[2] Those incumbents were:
| Name | Party | Office |
|---|---|---|
| Andrea Dalessandro |  Democratic |
Senate District 2 |
| Frank Pratt | Republican |
Senate District 8 |
| David Bradley | Democratic |
Senate District 10 |
| Eddie Farnsworth | Republican |
Senate District 12 |
| David Farnsworth | Republican |
Senate District 16 |
The five seats left open in 2020 represented the lowest number of open seats since 2010. The table below shows the number of open seats in each election held between 2010 and 2020.
| Open Seats in Arizona State Senate elections: 2010 - 2018 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Total seats | Open seats | Seats with incumbents running for re-election |
| 2020 | 30 | 5 (17%) | 25 (83%) |
| 2018 | 30 | 14 (47%) | 16 (53%) |
| 2016 | 30 | 8 (27%) | 22 (73%) |
| 2014 | 30 | 8 (27%) | 22 (73%) |
| 2012 | 30 | 8 (27%) | 22 (73%) |
| 2010 | 30 | 5 (17%) | 25 (83%) |
Process to become a candidate
See statutes: Title 16, Chapter 3 of the Arizona Revised Statutes
Candidates in Arizona can access the ballot as political party candidates, independent candidates, or write-in candidates. Candidates must file a statement of interest, nomination paper, financial disclosure statement, and nomination petitions.[3] Candidates file in-person or online, though the Candidate Portal, depending on the document in question.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title
Political party candidates
Political party candidates are nominated in primary elections. If no candidate is nominated at the primary election for a specific office, no candidate for that office can appear on the general election ballot for that political party.[4][5]
A political party candidate must file his or her nomination documents during the candidate filing period, which begins 120 days before the primary and ends 90 days before the primary. At the time of filing, a candidate must be a qualified voter residing in the geographic area represented by the office being sought. The following documents must be filed in order to gain ballot access:Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title
- a financial disclosure statement
- an affidavit affirming that the candidate will be eligible to hold office if elected
- a nomination paper including the following information:
- candidate’s residence address
- name of the party with which the candidate is affiliated
- office the candidate seeks, with district or precinct, if applicable
- the candidate’s name as the candidate wishes it to appear on the ballot
- date of the primary and corresponding general election
- a nomination petition
Nomination petitions must be signed by qualified electors who are eligible to vote for the office the candidate is seeking. A qualified signer may be a "registered member of the party from which the candidate is seeking nomination," a "registered member of a political party that is not entitled to continued representation on the ballot," or an independent. To calculate the number of petition signatures needed, the voter registration totals as of the year of the election must be used. Signature requirements vary according to the office being sought. See the table below for further details.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title
| Formulas for determining signature requirements for political party candidates | ||
|---|---|---|
| Office sought | Minimum signatures required | Maximum signatures allowed |
| United States Senator or state executive office | At least one-fourth of 1 percent of the total number of qualified signers** | No more than 10 percent of the total number of qualified signers |
| United States Representative | At least one-half of 1 percent of the total number of qualified signers in the district the candidate seeks to represent | No more than 10 percent of the total number of qualified signers in the district the candidate seeks to represent |
| State legislative office | At least one-half of 1 percent of the total number of qualified signers in the district the candidate seeks to represent | No more than 3 percent of the total number of qualified signers in the district the candidate seeks to represent |
Newly qualified political party candidates
A candidate of a newly qualified political party must file the same documents at the same time as other political party candidates. Petition signature requirements are different for newly qualified political party candidates. A candidate of a new political party must file signatures equal to at least one-tenth of 1 percent of the total votes cast for the winning presidential or gubernatorial candidate at the last general election in the district the candidate seeks to represent.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title
Independent candidates
A candidate may not run as an independent if he or she is representing a party that failed to qualify for the primary election. Additionally, a candidate cannot run as an independent if he or she tried and failed to qualify as a political party candidate in the primary.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title
An independent candidate must be nominated by petition to run in the general election. The nomination petition must be filed with the financial disclosure statement during the candidate filing period, which begins 120 days before the primary election and ends 90 days before the primary election.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title
An independent candidate's nomination petition must be signed by registered voters eligible to vote for the office the candidate is seeking. The number of signatures required on the petition is equal to at least 3 percent of all registered voters who are not affiliated with a recognized political party in the district the candidate seeks to represent. Signature requirement figures should be calculated using voter registration data from the year of the election. Though the number of signatures required to gain ballot access as an independent is related to the number of registered voters who are not affiliated with recognized political parties, the affiliation of those signing the petitions does not matter as long as they have not already signed a political party candidate's petition.Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title
Write-in candidates
A candidate may not file as a write-in if any of the following are true:Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title
- The candidate ran in the primary election and failed to get elected.
- The candidate did not file enough signatures to be allowed ballot access when previously filing for primary ballot access.
- The candidate filed nomination petitions to run in the general election but did not submit enough valid signatures to gain ballot access.
Write-in votes will not be counted unless the write-in candidate files a nomination paper and financial disclosure form no later than 5 p.m. on the 40th day before the election in which the candidate intends to run. The nomination paper must include the following information:Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name cannot be a simple integer. Use a descriptive title
- the candidate's name and signature
- the candidate's residence address or description of place of residence and post office address
- the candidate's age
- the length of time the candidate has been a resident of the state
- the candidate's date of birth
2020 ballot access requirements
The table below details filing requirements for Arizona State Senate candidates in the 2020 election cycle.
| Filing requirements for state legislative candidates, 2020 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chamber name | Party | Signatures required | Filing fee | Filing deadline | Source |
| Arizona State Senate | Qualified party | 0.5% of total qualified signers residing in the district | N/A | 4/6/2020 | Source |
| Arizona State Senate | Unaffiliated | 3% of total registered voters in the district who are not members of a qualified party | N/A | 4/6/2020 | Source |
Qualifications
Article 4, Part 2, Section 2 of the Arizona Constitution states: "No person shall be a member of the Legislature unless he shall be a citizen of the United States at the time of his election, nor unless he shall be at least twenty-five years of age, and shall have been a resident of Arizona at least three years and of the county from which he is elected at least one year before his election."
Salaries and per diem
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
| State legislative salaries, 2024[6] | |
|---|---|
| Salary | Per diem |
| $24,000/year | For legislators residing within Maricopa County: $35/day. For legislators residing outside of Maricopa County: $251.66. |
When sworn in
Template:AZ sworn in
Arizona political history
Trifectas
A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government.
Arizona Party Control: 1992-2025
No Democratic trifectas • Twenty-two years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D |
| Senate | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | S | S | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
Presidential politics in Arizona
2016 Presidential election results
| U.S. presidential election, Arizona, 2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | Electoral votes | |
| Democratic | Hillary Clinton/Tim Kaine | 45.1% | 1,161,167 | 0 | |
| Republican |  Donald Trump/Mike Pence |
48.7% | 1,252,401 | 11 | |
| Libertarian | Gary Johnson/Bill Weld | 4.1% | 106,327 | 0 | |
| Green | Jill Stein/Ajamu Baraka | 1.3% | 34,345 | 0 | |
| Other | Write-in votes | 0.7% | 18,925 | 0 | |
| Total Votes | 2,573,165 | 11 | |||
| Election results via: Arizona Secretary of State | |||||
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.[7][8][9]
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.[10][11]
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[12]
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.[13]
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)."[12] Accepted proof of citizenship include:[12]
- 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.[14] 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. 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.[15][16]
The following were accepted forms of identification as of July 2024: 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
- 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.[17][18]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Arizona Secretary of State, "2020 Primary Election: Legislative," accessed April 13, 2020
- ↑ Ballotpedia defines an incumbent as retiring if the incumbent did not file for office or filed for office but withdrew, was disqualified, or otherwise left a race in a manner other than losing the primary, primary runoff, or convention. If an incumbent runs as a write-in candidate, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring. If an incumbent runs in the same chamber for a different seat, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring.
- ↑ Arizona Secretary of State, "Running for Statewide Office," accessed July 23, 2025
- ↑ Arizona Revised Statutes, "Title 16, Chapter 3, Section 301," accessed July 23, 2025
- ↑ Arizona Revised Statutes, "Title 16, Chapter 3, Section 302," accessed July 23, 2025
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2024 Legislator Compensation," August 21, 2024
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed July 19, 2024
- ↑ Citizens Clean Elections Commission, "Primary Election," accessed July 19, 2024
- ↑ Arizona State Legislature, "Arizona Revised Statutes 16-467," accessed July 19 2024
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 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 March 14, 2023
- ↑ Arizona State Legislature, “Arizona Revised Statutes 16-579,” accessed July 19, 2024
- ↑ Arizona State Legislature, “Arizona Revised Statutes 16-541,” accessed July 19, 2024
- ↑ Arizona State Legislature, “Arizona Revised Statutes 16-547,” accessed July 19, 2024
