For those with an eye toward the looming primary election scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 4, the first major deadline is coming up. The last day to register as a voter for that election is Monday, July 6.

For those on the list to receive a mail ballot, those will go out on Wednesday, July 8, and should arrive within a couple of days. With the COVID-19 pandemic many are likely considering the mail option. Registered voters may sign up to receive their ballot by mail at the Maricopa County Recorder’s website, recorder.maricopa.gov/elections. That is the same online location for those wanting to register.

“Accessibility in the time of COVID-19 is incredibly important,” said Maricopa County Recorder Adrian Fontes in a Facebook post last week. “Through the dedicated work of all our administrators, we are likely to put on the single most accessible election in Maricopa County history that provides both voting by mail and in-person choices.”

Fontes said voting by mail is a popular choice and called it secure, verifiable and transparent. He noted that Arizona voters have had the option to vote by mail since 1996 and it has become the most popular choice among Maricopa County voters with approximately 1.8 million registered voters on the permanent early voting list (PEVL).

“While voting by mail is a convenient choice, in-person voting remains a vital part of our elections,” Fontes said. “This August, primary voters will have 90-100 vote center locations to choose from on Election Day, including 50-60 vote center locations available 14 days before Election Day.”

Voting Center locations will be announced early in July. Vote centers will allow early voting for any registered voter in the county. It will also be a location to replace spoiled ballots. Ballot centers open July 8 through Election Day, including some with weekend hours.

The last day to request an early ballot by mail is Friday, July 24, and the last day to put a ballot in the mail to return it to election officials is Wednesday, July 29.

Fountain Hills is divided into five voting precincts and on Election Day voters will be directed to two locations to vote. Registered residents in the Fountain Hills, Four Peaks and Golden Eagle precincts will vote at the Community Center, 13001 La Montana Drive, while voters living in the Palisades and Saguaro precincts will cast ballots at the First Baptist Church, 10215 Saguaro Blvd.

Residents of the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, as well as voters living in Goldfield Ranch, will cast ballots on Election Day at the Fort McDowell Recreation Center, 16402 Fort McDowell Rd. Voters living in the Rio Verde precinct will vote at the Rio Verde Community Center, 18816 Four Peaks Blvd. in Rio Verde.

The primary election will include candidates for Fountain Hills Town Council and mayor, Arizona House of Representatives and Senate and the various Maricopa County offices. The General Election in November will be a deciding vote for many of the offices.

The Times will have information on the candidates for various offices in the coming weeks.