PHOENIX — Arizona Independent voters may have an outsized impact on the Republican Governor's Primary
On Wednesday, early voting begins across Arizona for the August 2 primary. In Maricopa County, approximately 90,000 Independent voters requested early ballots. About 60,000 of those Independents are voting in the Republican primary. Mike Noble of OH Predictive Insights thinks how those 60,000 Maricopa County Independent votes can mean the difference between victory or defeat in the tightly contested Republican Governor's primary.
"It splits right now about 1/4th of them are favoring Karrin Taylor Robson. A little less than that are favoring Kari Lake. And there is still a chunk that's undecided right now," Noble said. OH Predictive is releasing its latest election poll on Wednesday.
It's the issues, not the candidates that are driving some Independents to vote Democrat in the August Primary. The overturning of Roe by the U.S. Supreme Court and the revelations from the January 6 committee are among the issues mentioned.
"I think this is the most important time right now to vote. Voting rights are at stake, women's rights are at stake, everybody's rights are at stake. So more than ever we need to make sure our freedoms are kept intact," Daniel Verhagen said after he dropped off his request for a ballot at the Maricopa County Elections Office Tuesday.
The number of Independent voters requesting a ballot for the primary remains a fraction of the total number of registered Independents. As of July 1, 1,399,954 Arizona voters are registered as Independent. 935,285 are on Arizona's early voting list. "If you don't vote, you don't have a right to complain about what's going on," said one independent voter, who is voting in the Democratic primary.
Voters have until July 22 to request a ballot. You need to mail the ballot back by July 26.
Registered Independents in Maricopa County can request an early ballot for a particular party by clicking here. Those in other Arizona counties can request one from their county recorder's office.
