Arizona’s partisan primary concluded July 21, and election officials across the state began reporting live returns around 8 p.m., with further updates expected each day as ballots are validated and tabulated. The outcomes of these contests will determine each party’s nominees for the November general election, and in many parts of the state where one party dominates, the primary winner will be the de facto choice for the seat this fall.
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A ballot emblazoned with the Arizona flag is shown being cast — voters’ ballots in the July 21, 2026 primary are being tallied as live results are reported.
Republican voters faced high-profile choices this year, including contests to select nominees for governor, secretary of state, attorney general and superintendent of public instruction, in addition to several other statewide offices. Both parties also fielded candidates in a competitive open congressional seat, with Democrats and Republicans each selecting a nominee to advance to November. State legislative contests and a slate of municipal races, particularly in the Phoenix metropolitan area, rounded out the ballots for many voters.
Elections officials cautioned that returns posted in the early reporting period are unofficial. Final results will not be certified until local and state officials have completed counting, verification and certification procedures. The certification process can be slow in part because mail-in ballots require signature verification and separate tabulation before being added to the official totals. Ballots dropped off at polling places on Election Day may not be fully processed and counted until a couple of days after polls close, election staff warned.
This live-results coverage focuses on contested races for the U.S. House, statewide offices, the Arizona Legislature and metro Phoenix contests. On the municipal side, eleven cities held mayoral elections on primary day, with the largest mayoral race being a two-person contest in Chandler. In addition to mayoral elections, many cities and towns conducted council and justice-of-the-peace races that will be part of ongoing tally updates.
Several municipal and local contests were listed on precinct reports at the outset of returns. In Avondale, voters were asked to choose three candidates for council: Natosha Edmonds, Levi Johnston, Bryan Kilgore, Patti Nielson, Ramon Sanchez and Max White were all on the ballot. Carefree voters selecting three council members saw Sheila Amoroso, Peter Gladkin, Les Hardie, George Nelson, Ted Taylor and a write-in option. Cave Creek’s town council ballot listed Kathleen Abaie, David Ackerman, Tom Augherton, Cynthia Driskell, Joe Freedman, Thomas McGuire, Patricia Murphy and a write-in slot; the town’s slate called for six choices.
Chandler’s city council contest, where voters chose three, included Lisa Askey, Angel Encinas, Joe Granado, Ron Hardin, Jane Poston and Cicely Rocha-Miller, along with the option to write in a candidate. El Mirage voters were presented with Todd Balash, Phillip Bynum, Monica Dorcey, Cindy Gentry-Oliveres, Ismael Gonzalez, James “Jim” McPhetres and Donna Winston for three council seats. Fountain Hills’ ballot listed Matthew Corrigan, Susan DeGennaro, Dan Kocacevic, Benjamin Larrabee, Catherine Mirick and Jeff Tate for its three open council positions.
Other local contests included Gila Bend, where voters were asked to select four candidates from a field that included Athena Guerrero, Jesus Rubacalva, Tommy Lee Sikes, Will Sipes and Scott Swanson, plus write-ins. Gilbert’s ballot for four council seats featured Chuck Bongiovanni, Bobbi Buchli, Joel Coen, Beth Goulden, Bus Obayomi, Bill Spence and Jim Torgeson, along with a write-in option. Goodyear’s three-seat council race listed Vicki Gillis, Brannon Hampton, Jason Kish and Sheri Lauritano. Litchfield Park voters choosing three council members saw Sarah Pearson, Joshua “Cody” Conklin, Paul Faith, Tim Wayne and Lisa Brainard Watson on the ballot.
Mesa’s District 5 council race included Ryan Blakeman, Alicia Goforth, Danny Hart, Amanda Jones and Aleks Vranicic, with a write-in option. In Paradise Valley, three council seats were contested by Bob Brown, Bill Nassikas, Anna Thomasson and Daran Wastchak, plus write-ins. Queen Creek voters choosing three council members had Benjamin Harrison, Nick Masse, Bryan McClure, Dawn Oliphant and Travis Padilla among their options. San Tan Valley’s seven-seat ballot listed Diane Combes, Tyler Hudgins, Daniel Oakes, Daren Schnepf, Jean E. Stockton, Alex Stovall, Brian Tyler and Rupert Wolfert. Scottsdale voters selecting three council members saw Crystal Carroll, Barry Graham, Ethan Knowlden, Bob Littlefield, Eric Sloan, Michelle Ugenti-Rita, Solange Whitehead and Raoul Zubia, plus write-in options. Tolleson’s three-seat slate included Steven Alvarez, Clorinda Contreras Erives, Jimmy Davis, Caroline Gem Paxton, Diana Ledesma Ruiz and Jose Solorio, while Wickenburg’s ballot for three council seats listed Kristy Bedoian, Art Rubash, Tim Hulme and Brian Jones, with write-ins also available.
County-level and judicial contests were also part of the primary reporting. Maricopa County ballots included races for justice of the peace alongside the municipal and legislative items. Those checks, counts and tabulations will be incorporated into the cumulative returns that election offices update over the next several days. As returns continue to come in, the live feed will refresh with additional totals and the growing body of unofficial results until county and state officials complete their certification processes and release final figures.
Partial results indicate U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton was renominated by Democrats in Congressional District 4, while several Republicans including Ken Miceli, Scott Neely and Rep. David Schweikert lost in the governor's primary and other statewide races. The Green Papers reported these early outcomes from the July 21 vote, with full certification still weeks away on August 6.
The Associated Press called the Republican gubernatorial primary for U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, who won the GOP nomination and will face Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs in the November general election.
Alexander Kolodin won the Republican primary for Arizona secretary of state, setting up a November matchup with Democratic incumbent Adrian Fontes.
Former Arizona Cardinals kicker Jay Feely was called the Republican winner in the open 1st Congressional District; early returns showed Democrat Amish Shah leading his party’s primary in that district.
State Senate President Warren Petersen led Rodney Glassman in returns and was widely projected to win the Republican nomination for attorney general, which would set up a contest with incumbent Democrat Kris Mayes in November.