Arizona gubernatorial election, 2018 (August 28 Democratic primary)

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Governor of Arizona
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): Doug Ducey (Republican)
How to vote
Poll times: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voting in Arizona
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Likely Republican Sabato's Crystal Ball: Likely Republican Inside Elections: Likely Republican
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 Secretary of state Treasurer Superintendent of public instruction Mine inspector Corporation commission

Arizona State University professor David Garcia won the Democratic primary. He received 49 percent of the vote. State Sen. Steve Farley was second with 34 percent.

Garcia and Farley took different approaches in the August 28 Arizona Democratic gubernatorial primary.

Garcia highlighted his vision for improving education in the state. He attacked the Ducey administration's education record just months after Arizona teachers had a statewide walkout and called for higher salaries and additional funding.^[1] Unlike Farley, he supported free college education, abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and water use restrictions in face of a statewide drought.^[2] He locked up support from most Democratic organizations, including the Arizona Education Association, Planned Parenthood Arizona, and Democracy for America.^[3]

Farley emphasized his experience in government and his knowledge of public policy. He called himself a "responsible liberal" and said he was "not hearing people say 'go to the left as far as you can.'"^[4] He aligned with Garcia in support of Proposition 207, which would increase income taxes on top earners to pay for education funding.^[2] Farley's supporters included the American Federation of Teachers and former members of Congress Dennis DeConcini, Ann Kirkpatrick, and Ron Barber.^[5]

Although Farley had outraised Garcia $1.3 million to $1 million as of August 11, an OH Predictive Insights poll two weeks before the primary showed Garcia leading Farley 40 to 25 percent.^[6][7] As of mid-August, the Republican Governors Association had spent more than $9 million opposing Garcia.^[8]

Kelly Fryer also ran and took 7 percent in the OH Predictive Insights poll. She positioned herself to the left of her opponents on border security. At a July 31 debate, she said Farley's description of the border as dangerous fed a narrative of fear being pushed by Ducey and President Donald Trump.^[1] As of August 11, she had raised about $175,000.^[7]

Candidates and election results

David Garcia defeated Steve Farley and Kelly Fryer in the Democratic primary for Governor of Arizona on August 28, 2018.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Governor of Arizona

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		David Garcia	50.6	255,555
		Steve Farley	32.3	163,072
		Kelly Fryer	17.2	86,810

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 505,437 (100.00% precincts reporting)
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Endorsements

This is an abbreviated list of endorsements.

For all Steve Farley endorsements, click here.

For all David Garcia endorsements, click here.

Campaign finance

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

Context of the 2018 election

Heading into the election, Arizona was a Republican trifecta. It gained this status when former Gov. Jan Brewer (R) took office in 2009. Arizona was also a Republican triplex.

The Republican presidential candidate won Arizona in each of the past five election cycles. The widest margin of victory was George W. Bush's 11 percent margin in 2004, while the narrowest was Donald Trump's four percent margin in 2016.

Arizona was one of 36 states that held an election for governor in 2018. Democrats gained seven previously Republican-held seats, and Republicans gained one previously independent-held seat. Heading into the 2018 elections, there were 16 Democratic governors, 33 Republican governors, and one independent governor. In 2018, 26 of the 33 states with a Republican governor held a gubernatorial election, while nine out of the 16 states with a Democratic governor held a gubernatorial election. Seventeen of the 36 seats up for election were open seats (four Democratic, 12 Republican, and one independent), meaning that the sitting governor was not seeking re-election. Click here for more information on other 2018 gubernatorial elections.

Past elections

2014

See also: Arizona gubernatorial election, 2014

Fred DuVal was unopposed in the 2014 Democratic primary election.^[9]

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.^[10][11][12]

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.^[13][14]

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.^[15]

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.^[15]

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

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

On March 30, 2022, Governor Doug Ducey (R) signed HB2492 into law. HB2492 requires that voters submitting registration forms not produced by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission submit proof of citizenship along with their registration forms. In the case of registration forms produced by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, HB2492 requires election officials to "use all available resources to verify the citizenship status" of applicants. Should officials be unable to verify a voter's citizenship status, that voter will be barred from voting in a presidential election or by mail in any election, pending submission of proof of citizenship. Should officials determine that a voter is not a citizen, officials will be required to forward the registration application to the county attorney and the attorney general for investigation. Officials who fail to comply with these requirements are guilty of a Class 6 felony.^[16]

Verifying your registration

The site Voter View, 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.^[17][18]

The following were accepted forms of identification as of March 2023: 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:

• 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 ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.

Absentee voting

All voters are eligible to vote absentee in Arizona. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee.

To vote absentee, an absentee 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.^[19]

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

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).^[20][21]

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.

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.^[22][23]

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Arizona governor Democratic primary 2018. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

See also

External links

Suggest a link

• Governor of Arizona official website

Footnotes

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