Arizona Secretary of State election, 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.
2022 →
← 2014
|
| Arizona Secretary of State |
|---|
 |
| Democratic primary Republican primary General election |
| Election details |
| Filing deadline: May 30, 2018 |
| Primary: August 28, 2018 General: November 6, 2018 Pre-election incumbent(s): Michele Reagan (Republican) |
| How to vote |
| Poll times: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voting in Arizona |
| Ballotpedia analysis |
| Federal and state primary competitiveness State executive elections in 2018 Impact of term limits in 2018 State government trifectas State government triplexes Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018 |
| Arizona executive elections |
| Governor Attorney general |
Katie Hobbs (D) defeated Steve Gaynor (R) in the 2018 general election for Arizona Secretary of State, as Gaynor conceded on November 16, 2018.[1] With over 2,332,516 votes counted, Hobbs defeated Gaynor by 20,252 votes, 50.4 to 49.6 percent. Incumbent Michele Reagan (R) filed for re-election to a second term but was defeated by Gaynor in the primary election. This office had been held by a Republican since 1995.
Since Arizona does not have a lieutenant governor, the secretary of state race was also an election to be next-in-line for the governor's office. AZ Central reported that four of the nine preceding governors in the state have moved to the office from serving as secretary of state because a governor resigned or was removed from office.[2]
For more information about the Democratic primary, click here.
For more information about the Republican primary, click here.
Candidates and election results
General election
General election for Arizona Secretary of State
Katie Hobbs defeated Steve Gaynor in the general election for Arizona Secretary of State on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Katie Hobbs (D) | 50.4 | 1,176,384 |
 | Steve Gaynor (R) | 49.6 | 1,156,132 | |
| Total votes: 2,332,516 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Arizona Secretary of State
Katie Hobbs advanced from the Democratic primary for Arizona Secretary of State on August 28, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Katie Hobbs | 100.0 | 465,668 |
| Total votes: 465,668 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Leslie Pico (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Arizona Secretary of State
Steve Gaynor defeated incumbent Michele Reagan in the Republican primary for Arizona Secretary of State on August 28, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Steve Gaynor | 66.7 | 414,332 |
 | Michele Reagan | 33.3 | 206,988 | |
| Total votes: 621,320 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Kevin Gibbons (R)
Candidate profiles
Party: Democratic
Incumbent: No
Political office: Arizona State Senate (2012-Present), Arizona House of Representatives (2010-2012)
Biography: Hobbs her B.A. in social work from Northern Arizona University and her M.A. in social work from Arizona State University. Her professional experience includes working as director of government relations for the Sojourner Center, a member of the adjunct faculty of Paradise Valley Community College's social and behavioral sciences, and a social worker.
- Stated that she wanted to "end the outrageously long lines and crippling incompetence that are preventing Arizonans from participating in our elections."[3]
- Mentioned her work as a state senator in campaign messaging, including expanding Medicaid, working with victims of domestic and sexual abuse, and providing education and job training opportunities.
Party: Republican
Incumbent: No
Political office: None
Biography: Gaynor began as a businessman in 1988 after graduating from Harvard Business School. He has owned commercial printing plants in Arizona, California, and Colorado.[4]
Polls
- See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
| Arizona Secretary of State election, 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Poll sponsor | Steve Gaynor | Katie Hobbs | Unsure/Undecided | Margin of Error | Sample Size | |||||||||||||
| OH Predictive Insights (October 22-23, 2018) | ABC15 | 50% | 44% | 6% | +/-4.0 | 600 | |||||||||||||
| OH Predictive Insights (October 1-2, 2018) | ABC15 | 50% | 36% | 14% | +/-4.0 | 600 | |||||||||||||
| Note: A "0%" finding means the question was not a part of the poll. The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org | |||||||||||||||||||
Campaign finance
Satellite spending
Satellite spending, commonly referred to as outside spending, describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[6][7][8]
This section lists satellite spending in this race reported by news outlets in alphabetical order. If you are aware of spending that should be included, please email us.
- The Arizona Democratic Party had spent approximately $2.2 million to boost Hobbs' campaign as of October 12, 2018.[9]
Noteworthy endorsements
This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please click here.
Campaign advertisements
This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.
Campaign themes
The campaign themes below were taken from the candidates' 2018 campaign websites.
Steve Gaynor
Steve's Plan
Restore Voter Confidence
Steve will work to preserve and strengthen Arizona’s requirement for proof of citizenship to ensure that only United States citizens vote.
Follow the Law
Unlike our incumbent, Steve will ensure that the Secretary of State’s Office follows all of the laws governing elections. The Election Procedures Manual required by A.R.S. 16-452 will be published on time. Information pamphlets will be timely mailed. Confidence will be restored.
Improve the Law
Several aspects of Arizona election law need to be updated and improved. Areas such as ballot harvesting, the procedures to fill vacancies and redistricting are examples. Steve will work with the legislature to update and revise these statutes.
Save Money
Steve will not tolerate failed information technology projects that are years behind and over budget. He will assess the entire Department of State to streamline operations and reduce cost.
Rebuild Relationships
In January 2017, all 15 County Recorders wrote to Michele Reagan stating their relationship was “in dire straits.” This remains the case today. Steve will establish respectful, cooperative working relationships with the County Recorders and all other parties who depend on the Secretary of State.
Take Cybersecurity Seriously
There is good cause for concern that our election infrastructure is vulnerable to attack. Our election systems are a high priority target for our enemies. In a recent outside evaluation, Arizona scored a “D” in election security, and was in the bottom third of the 50 states. Governor Ducey has established the Arizona Cybersecurity Team to protect Arizona from cyber attacks. Steve has the background in information technology to make sure that the Team and the Secretary of State’s office work together effectively to improve and secure Arizona’s election systems.[5]
Katie Hobbs
A Champion for All Arizonans:
As Secretary of State, Katie will continue the fight to make every Arizonans' voice heard. The foundation of our democracy is the right to vote, and she will act to end the outrageously long lines and crippling incompetence that are preventing Arizonans from participating in our elections. She will fight to protect access to the ballot because that is the key to building the Arizona we want for our children and grandchildren. Especially in this moment, when our national politics have become dangerously polarized and divisive, our state officials should be dedicated to serving the best interests of the people of Arizona. Katie has worked to do just that throughout her life and, as Secretary of State, she is committed to continuing that mission.[3]
Social media
Twitter accounts
Tweets by Steve Gaynor Tweets by Katie Hobbs
Facebook accounts
Click the icons below to visit the candidates' Facebook pages.
Steve Gaynor 
Katie Hobbs
Pivot Counties
- See also: Pivot Counties by state
Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states. No counties in Arizona are Pivot Counties.
Donald Trump (R) defeated Hillary Clinton (D) in the 2016 presidential election. Trump won 48.7 percent of the vote, while Clinton won 45.1 percent. Arizona was one of 12 key battleground states in 2016. Of the 30 states won by Trump in 2016, Arizona had the fifth closest margin. From when it became a state in 1912 to 2016, Arizona voted Republican in 66.7 percent of presidential elections. It voted Republican in all presidential elections from 2000 to 2016.
Presidential results by legislative district
The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Arizona. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[10][11]
| In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 12 out of 30 state House districts in Arizona with an average margin of victory of 25 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 14 out of 30 state House districts in Arizona with an average margin of victory of 27.5 points. Clinton won two districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections. |
| In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 18 out of 30 state House districts in Arizona with an average margin of victory of 22.9 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 16 out of 30 state House districts in Arizona with an average margin of victory of 21.5 points. |
| 2016 presidential results by state House district | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Obama | Romney | 2012 Margin | Clinton | Trump | 2016 Margin | Party Control |
| 1 | 30.1% | 68.2% | R+38.2 | 28.6% | 66.9% | R+38.3 | R |
| 2 | 57.2% | 41.6% | D+15.7 | 59.4% | 36.1% | D+23.2 | D |
| 3 | 70.0% | 28.1% | D+41.9 | 70.2% | 24.4% | D+45.8 | D |
| 4 | 54.3% | 44.2% | D+10.2 | 56.8% | 38.2% | D+18.7 | D |
| 5 | 28.1% | 70.0% | R+41.9 | 22.2% | 73.5% | R+51.3 | R |
| 6 | 42.2% | 55.6% | R+13.4 | 41.7% | 52.1% | R+10.4 | R |
| 7 | 63.2% | 35.4% | D+27.8 | 59.8% | 34.1% | D+25.7 | D |
| 8 | 44.7% | 53.5% | R+8.8 | 40.2% | 54.6% | R+14.4 | R |
| 9 | 53.4% | 44.9% | D+8.4 | 56.8% | 37.9% | D+18.9 | D |
| 10 | 51.8% | 46.5% | D+5.4 | 52.9% | 41.6% | D+11.4 | D |
| 11 | 39.7% | 59.0% | R+19.3 | 40.6% | 54.5% | R+13.9 | R |
| 12 | 32.5% | 65.9% | R+33.4 | 34.8% | 59.3% | R+24.5 | R |
| 13 | 33.5% | 65.1% | R+31.6 | 34.1% | 61.1% | R+27 | R |
| 14 | 35.7% | 62.5% | R+26.8 | 33.6% | 59.9% | R+26.2 | R |
| 15 | 36.4% | 61.9% | R+25.4 | 39.1% | 55.7% | R+16.6 | R |
| 16 | 35.0% | 63.1% | R+28.1 | 32.9% | 61.3% | R+28.4 | R |
| 17 | 42.1% | 56.2% | R+14.2 | 45.1% | 49.2% | R+4.1 | R |
| 18 | 48.1% | 50.0% | R+1.9 | 51.9% | 41.5% | D+10.4 | R |
| 19 | 66.4% | 32.1% | D+34.3 | 67.4% | 27.2% | D+40.3 | D |
| 20 | 42.4% | 55.3% | R+12.9 | 42.7% | 50.7% | R+8 | R |
| 21 | 40.6% | 58.0% | R+17.4 | 39.8% | 55.0% | R+15.2 | R |
| 22 | 33.4% | 65.4% | R+31.9 | 33.7% | 62.1% | R+28.4 | R |
| 23 | 35.9% | 62.9% | R+26.9 | 41.2% | 54.6% | R+13.3 | R |
| 24 | 63.2% | 34.4% | D+28.8 | 65.9% | 27.7% | D+38.3 | D |
| 25 | 33.1% | 65.1% | R+31.9 | 35.1% | 58.7% | R+23.6 | R |
| 26 | 58.3% | 38.5% | D+19.8 | 59.4% | 31.9% | D+27.5 | D |
| 27 | 75.2% | 23.2% | D+52 | 74.1% | 20.6% | D+53.5 | D |
| 28 | 44.6% | 53.6% | R+9 | 49.9% | 44.6% | D+5.3 | R |
| 29 | 64.7% | 33.6% | D+31.1 | 65.0% | 29.3% | D+35.7 | D |
| 30 | 61.3% | 36.7% | D+24.7 | 62.2% | 31.7% | D+30.5 | D |
| Total | 44.6% | 53.7% | R+9.1 | 45.5% | 49.0% | R+3.6 | - |
| Source: Daily Kos | |||||||
Election history
2014
| Secretary of State of Arizona, 2014 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Michele Reagan |
52.2% | 779,226 | |
| Democratic | Terry Goddard | 47.8% | 712,918 | |
| Total Votes | 1,492,144 | |||
| Election results via Arizona Secretary of State | ||||
2010
| Arizona Secretary of State, 2010 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Ken Bennett Incumbent |
60.1% | 966,934 | |
| Democratic | Chris Deschene | 39.9% | 641,131 | |
| Total Votes | 1,608,065 | |||
| Election results via Arizona Secretary of State | ||||
State overview
Partisan control
This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Arizona heading into the 2018 elections.
Congressional delegation
- Following the 2016 elections, Republicans held both U.S. Senate seats in Arizona.
- Republicans held five of the nine U.S. House seats in Arizona.
State executives
- As of September 2018, Republicans held 7 of 11 state executive positions. The remaining four positions were officially nonpartisan.
- The governor of Arizona was Republican Doug Ducey. The state held elections for governor and lieutenant governor on November 6, 2018.
State legislature
- Republicans controlled both chambers of the Arizona State Legislature. They had a 35-25 majority in the state House and a 17-13 majority in the state Senate.
Trifecta status
- Arizona was a Republican trifecta, meaning that the Republican Party controlled the office of the governor, the state House, and the state Senate.
2018 elections
- See also: Arizona elections, 2018
Arizona held elections for the following positions in 2018:
- One U.S. Senate seats
- Nine U.S. House seats
- Governor
- Seven lower state executive positions
- 30 state Senate seats
- 60 state House seats
Demographics
| Demographic data for Arizona | ||
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 6,817,565 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 113,594 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 78.4% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 4.2% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 3% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 4.4% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 3.2% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 30.3% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 86% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 27.5% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $50,255 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 21.2% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Arizona. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
As of July 2016, Arizona's three largest cities were Phoenix (pop. est. 1,626,078), Tucson (pop. est. 535,677), and Mesa (pop. est. 496,401).[12][13]
State election history
This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Arizona from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the Arizona Secretary of State.
Historical elections
Presidential elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of the presidential election in Arizona every year from 2000 to 2016.
| Election results (President of the United States), Arizona 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2016 | Donald Trump |
48.7% | Hillary Clinton |
45.1% | 3.6% |
| 2012 | Mitt Romney |
53.7% | Barack Obama |
44.6% | 9.1% |
| 2008 | John McCain |
53.6% | Barack Obama |
45.1% | 7.5% |
| 2004 | George W. Bush |
54.9% | John Kerry |
44.4% | 10.5% |
| 2000 | George W. Bush |
51.0% | Al Gore |
44.5% | 5.5% |
U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in Arizona from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.
| Election results (U.S. Senator), Arizona 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2016 | John McCain |
53.7% | Ann Kirkpatrick |
40.7% | 13.0% |
| 2012 | Jeff Flake |
49.2% | Richard Carmona |
46.2% | 3.0% |
| 2010 | John McCain |
58.9% | Rodney Glassman |
34.7% | 24.2% |
| 2006 | Jon Kyl |
53.3% | Jim Pederson |
43.5% | 9.8% |
| 2004 | John McCain |
76.7% | Stuart Starky |
20.6% | 56.1% |
| 2002 | Jon Kyl |
79.3% |  William Toel (I) |
7.8% | 7.8% |
Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016
This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Arizona.
| Election results (Governor), Arizona 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | First-place candidate | First-place candidate votes (%) | Second-place candidate | Second-place candidate votes (%) | Margin of victory (%) |
| 2014 | Doug Ducey |
53.4% | Fred DuVal |
41.6% | 11.8% |
| 2010 | Jan Brewer |
54.3% | Terry Goddard |
42.4% | 12.1% |
| 2006 | Janet Napolitano |
62.6% | Len Munsil |
35.4% | 27.2% |
| 2002 | Janet Napolitano |
46.2% | Matt Salmon |
45.2% | 1.0%' |
Congressional delegation, 2000-2016
This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Arizona in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.
| Congressional delegation, Arizona 2000-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Republicans | Republicans (%) | Democrats | Democrats (%) | Balance of power |
| 2016 | 5 |
55.5% | 4 |
44.4% | R+1 |
| 2014 | 5 |
55.5% | 4 |
44.4% | R+1 |
| 2012 | 4 |
44.4% | 5 |
55.5% | D+1 |
| 2010 | 5 |
62.5% | 3 |
37.5% | R+2 |
| 2008 | 3 |
37.5% | 5 |
62.5% | D+2 |
| 2006 | 4 |
50% | 4 |
50% | Even |
| 2004 | 6 |
75% | 2 |
25% | R+4 |
| 2002 | 6 |
75% | 2 |
25% | R+4 |
| 2000 | 5 |
83.3% | 1 |
16.6% | R+4 |
Trifectas, 1992-2017
A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.
Arizona Party Control: 1992-2024
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Senate | D | 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 |
| 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 |
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Arizona secretary of state election 2018. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
|
Arizona government: |
Elections: |
Ballotpedia exclusives: |
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ AZCentral, "Katie Hobbs declares victory in Arizona secretary of state's race," November 16, 2018
- ↑ AZ Central "They could be Arizona's governor — and their last names aren't Ducey or Garcia," October 3, 2018
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Katie Hobbs, "About," accessed September 12, 2018
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Steve Gaynor 2018 campaign website, "About," accessed September 12, 2018
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Steve Gaynor 2018 campaign website, "The Plan," accessed September 12, 2018
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed September 22, 2015
- ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed September 22, 2015
- ↑ National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," November 6, 2015
- ↑ AZ Central, "Arizona Democrats spend to boost Katie Hobbs as hopes for a David Garcia win fade," October 12, 2018
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
- ↑ Arizona Demographics, "Arizona Cities by Population," accessed August 30, 2018
- ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "Quickfacts Arizona," accessed August 30, 2018
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