Statement from Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes on the Supreme Court's Decision in Watson v. RNC

Arizona voters returning their ballot by mail should mail it as soon as possible—and no later than July 14, 2026—or return it to an official ballot drop box or voting location by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.

Phoenix — Today's decision by the United States Supreme Court reaffirms a fundamental principle of our election system: states administer elections, not the federal government. The Court held that federal law does not prohibit states from counting mail ballots that are cast by Election Day but received afterward when state law authorizes that process. The decision is particularly significant for states that use a postmark system, where ballots must be postmarked by Election Day but may be received and counted during a period established by state law.

Arizona's law is different. Arizona is an in-hand state, meaning voted ballots must be received by an election official no later than 7:00 p.m. on Election Day. As a result, today's decision does not change how elections are conducted in Arizona.

With Arizona's Primary Election underway and ballots now arriving in voters' mailboxes, the best way to ensure your ballot is counted is simple: receive it, vote it, and return it as soon as possible. Voters who return their ballot by mail should do so no later than July 14, 2026. Ballots may also be returned to any official ballot drop box or voting location by 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.

Voters can also sign up to track their ballot every step of the way through the Arizona Voter Information Portal at Arizona.Vote.