Candidate Frequently Asked Questions

Yavapai County Elections accepts all filings by email, mail, or in-person. If you mail any filings, we recommend allowing enough delivery time that it arrives before the filing deadline.  Postmarks are not accepted, and potential late fees will apply.

Email filings to elections@yavapaiaz.gov. 

No, Yavapai County Elections is located at 1015 Fair Street, RM 228 in Prescott and does not have an Election Office in Cottonwood.

If you filed a Statement of Organization to form a committee, you are required to file Campaign Finance Reports. The reporting dates are listed on the front page of the Campaign Finance Report form. You need to file a separate report for each Statement of Organization you filed.

If you have not yet created a committee, you must still keep track of all contributions and expenses. If the aggregate total of receipts and disbursements reaches $1,500, you must file a Statement of Organization within 10 days. [A.R.S. § 16-906].                The forms can be found here.

No. The Statement of Organization asks for the name of the bank you plan to use. You can submit an Amended Statement of Organization, within 10 days of the change, if you use a different bank.

Yes, you must file an amended Statement of Organization within ten days of any changes to your organization or banking information.

If you have not yet created a committee, you must still keep track of all contributions and expenses. If the aggregate total of receipts and disbursements reaches $1,500, you must file a Statement of Organization within 10 days. [A.R.S. § 16-906].                The forms can be found here.

See Do I have to file Campaign Finance Reports? above.

Any qualified elector may challenge a candidate for any reason relating to the qualifications for the office sought as prescribed by law or based on insufficiency of the nomination paper or petition and/or the signatures thereon. A.R.S. § 16-314; A.R.S. § 16-321; A.R.S. § 16-351, and A.R.S. § 16-351.01.

The challenge petition must be filed in superior court no later than 5:00 p.m. on the tenth day, excluding Saturday, Sunday, and legal holidays, after the deadline for filing nomination papers and petitions. 

• The challenger must state specifically the grounds for the challenge. If nomination petition signatures are being challenged, the challenge petition must specify the petition page and line number for each signature being challenged as well as the grounds for challenging each signature.
• The challenge petition must name as defendants: (i) the Board of Supervisors of any county involved in the challenge, (ii) the County Recorder for any county involved, (iii) the appropriate filing officer, and (iv) the candidate who is subject to the challenge. If the candidate is seeking nomination for office for a jurisdiction or district that crosses county lines, the challenge petition must name the appropriate Board of Supervisors and County Recorder for each county included in the jurisdiction or district.
• The challenge petition must be served immediately after the challenge is filed and, in any case, no later than 24 hours after it is filed, excluding Saturday, Sunday, and legal holidays.

To close a committee, you need to file a Termination Statement [A.R.S. § 16-934] along with a final Campaign Finance Report containing a zero balance. Please see A.R.S. § 16-933 for the statutory regulations for disposing of surplus funds and/or transferring committee debts.  You can find those forms here.

The purpose of the top portion of the petition sheet is to tell people who you are and what you are running for. Read the petition language carefully and completely fill in all the information requested in the blanks provided. Make sure the top portion of the petition is filled out with the correct election date, name of the district, and office you are running for.

While we want to make sure you are as informed as possible, Yavapai County Elections cannot give legal advice. If you need assistance, you can consult with your county political party office or seek advice from your legal counsel.

Write-in candidates are not required to gather signatures to qualify for the ballot. However, Write-in candidates are still required to form a committee (if applicable), file a nomination paper, and a Financial Disclosure Statement (if applicable). Only candidates who file before the deadline will be considered “official write-in candidates.” Only official write-in candidates will have their names posted at each Vote Center. A list of write-in candidates will not be sent with the early or vote by mail ballots and it is up to each candidate to advertise their candidacy. A.R.S. § 16-312.B2

Write-In Candidate Filing Deadlines

• County Candidates – 150 - 40 days prior to the election.
• Special District Candidates or Precinct Committeemen – 150 -106 days prior to the election for races that may be canceled.       

“Nonpartisan” describes any candidate that is not registered to vote with one of the recognized political parties.  Download a              Nonpartisan Candidate Packet here.

Nonpartisan candidates do not run in the Primary Election but will appear on the General Election ballot. However, the filing deadline for Nomination Papers and Petitions is the same as a candidate who is running in the Primary.

The number of nomination petition signatures you must get varies by office and party. Signature requirements are based on the voter registration totals reported on January 2nd of the election year. Unofficial signature requirements are available the year prior.  See the appropriate candidate packets here for signature requirements.

Currently, only candidates running for county office may acquire nomination petition signatures through E-QUAL.

Current campaign contribution limits are available on the Arizona Secretary of State’s website. There are no limits to how much a candidate can contribute to their own campaign.

75-Foot Limit – This is a boundary around vote centers that has the purpose of insulating voters from campaigning while they are voting.

Not allowed inside 75-Foot Limit:

• Electioneering: any verbal communication of support or opposition, whether for a candidate, a political party that has candidates on the ballot, or a question on the ballot
• Photographers & Media
• Anyone loitering
• Candidates and political action committees cannot have tables, people campaigning, etc., inside the 75-foot limit

Allowed inside 75-Foot Limit:

• Voters can take written materials (sample ballots, pamphlets, etc.) into the vote center
• Voters can have children or a person there to assist them – except candidates that appear on the ballot
• Normal business activities

Except in the case of an emergency, any facility that is used as a Vote Center on Election Day is required to allow electioneering and other political activity outside of the 75-foot limit, in public areas and parking lots used by voters.

Not allowed on vote center property:

• Temporary or permanent structures (canopies, tents, etc.) in public areas and parking lots
• Blocking or restricting access to walkways or parking spaces for voters. Keep traffic and walkways clear – Any areas used and traveled by voters (sidewalks, parking lots, etc.) should not be blocked in any way (even partially) with signs, vehicles, tables, chairs, or supporters.
• Sign placement and tampering – Do not place signs at the Vote Center without first checking with the property owner or manager. Some Vote Center facilities have designated specific areas they have approved for sign placement. Unauthorized signs on private property may be removed. State and many local laws also govern placement of signs on public and private property, as well as removal, alteration or defacing of political signs. The Postings of Candidate Signs document can be found in your Candidate Packets.

PLEASE BE AWARE:  We highly recommend that you seek permission from the property owner or manager of any Vote Center when electioneering on Election Day.

Nomination Petitions are available for public inspection and purchase from the Yavapai County Elections Department. To check the signatures on candidate petitions against the voter registration records, you must:

1. Submit a Public Records Request Form here with the Yavapai County Clerk of the Board at YCCBO@yavapaiaz.gov 
2. Purchase copies of the desired candidate’s petitions from our office at $0.25 per page. Electronic copies are provided at no cost. 
3. Schedule an appointment with the Voter Registration Department for use of their public computer.

If you want to view another candidate’s petitions but do not want copies, you can do so under direct supervision of Yavapai County Elections Department staff. This option is not available if you want to check the signatures against the Voter Registration records.

1. Locate your filing office. Not all candidates file at the Yavapai County Elections Office. It depends on which elected position you’re interested in. See also: Where do I get my candidate paperwork and where do I file? (below)
2. Download a candidate packet. The candidate packets contain forms and information to run for office. See also: Where do I get my candidate paperwork and where do I file? (below)
3. File a Statement of Interest - This form must be filed before you start collecting petition signatures.
4. Collect signatures. See also: Petitions.
5. File your paperwork with the appropriate filing office. See also: Where do I get my candidate paperwork and where do I file? (below)

6. Register your committee (if applicable) by filing a Statement of Organization. You may form a committee at any time. For more information see A.R.S. §16-905. If you spend or collect $1,500 in aggregate, you must file a Statement of Organization within 10 days. File the required quarterly and pre-election Campaign Finance Reports through termination. See also: Campaign Contributions and Campaign Finance Report Dates

No. You must be registered to vote with one of the recognized political parties in the precinct A.R.S 16-822(A). For a list of the current recognized political parties, please see signature requirements sheet in the Precinct Committeeman Packet here.

No. If you don’t “win” the Primary, or if you don’t get enough signatures to qualify for the Primary, you cannot run as a write-in or as a nonpartisan candidate in the General Election.

For more information see A.R.S. §16-312 and A.R.S. §16-341

If your committee filed a Statement of Organization, your candidate committee remains open and “active” until you close it with a Termination Statement. When you terminate your committee, you must file a final Campaign Finance Report with a zero balance.  Those forms can be found here.

If you did not have any income or expenditures, including fees or interest, you must still file page 1 of the Campaign Finance Report.

Most candidates can be a “committee of one,” and act as their own Chairman and Treasurer. However, if you are a candidate for judicial office, we recommend that you refer to the Arizona Code of Judicial Conduct for additional guidelines.

A Financial Disclosure Statement is a report of your personal finances and is filed at the same time as your Nomination Paper and Petitions. Special District candidates do not have to file Financial Disclosure Statements. County Elected Officials also file an annual Financial Disclosure with the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors.

Campaign Finance Reports track all the money that a committee has collected and spent. Campaign Finance Reports are filed several times during the year and cover specific periods of time. All committees who file a Statement of Organization, including Special District candidates, are responsible for filing Campaign Finance Reports. Campaign Finance Reports are required until you file a Termination Statement with a zero balance to close your committee.

NOTE: Precinct Committeemen do not form committees, file Financial Disclosure Statements, or Campaign Finance Reports.

You can begin accepting or spending any money on your campaign, distributing any campaign literature or circulating petitions anytime. However, once the aggregate of contributions and expenses reaches $1,500, you must file a Statement of Organization. See also I’ve decided to run for office, what do I need to know? (above)

More information – Chapter 6 CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPENSES

You can begin collecting petition signatures any time after filing your Statement of Interest.

See also: I’ve decided to run for office, what do I need to know?

Petitions are filed between 150 and 120 days before the election. Exact dates can be found on our website under Important Election Dates.

Nonpartisan candidates (not registered with one of the recognized political parties in Yavapai County) do not run in the Primary Election but are still required to file their Nomination Paper and Petitions at the same time as candidates who are running in the Primary.

PLEASE BE AWARE: The last week of the candidate filing period is busy for the filing office and for candidates. If you choose to file during that time period, please be prepared to wait in line.

Rules on where you can post signs vary according to where the signs will be located. The  Posting of Candidate Signs guide to the local sign ordinances is included in the candidate packets, but it is your responsibility to make sure you are following the most current laws in each area you are posting signs.

Filing Offices:

• For County Office – receive and file paperwork with the County Elections Office in Prescott.                                                        The County Candidate Packets are available online here.
• For Special District Candidates – receive and file paperwork with the County Elections Office in Prescott.                                  The Special District Candidate Packet is available here.
• For Precinct Committeemen – receive and file paperwork with your County political party or with the Yavapai County Elections Department. The Precinct Committeemen packet is available here.
• For School Governing Board Candidates – receive and file paperwork with the Yavapai County Education Service Agency (ESA) Office.
• For State or Federal Office – receive and file paperwork with the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office.
• For City or Town Council Candidates – receive and file paperwork with that City or Town Clerk’s Office.

Petition Signatures must be obtained from qualified electors who are eligible to vote for the candidate. If you are running for a County office, signers must be registered in the district you are running for, registered with your same political party, or registered as "nonpartisan.” If you are running for a Special District, anyone registered to vote in your district can sign your petitions as special district candidates run as nonpartisan candidates.

PLEASE NOTE: If you are running for a Special District that crosses into another county, you may collect signatures from voters in the other county, but you will need separate petition pages for each County.

The Elections office provides candidates with guidelines on sign posting but is not an enforcement agency.                                        Please call the Yavapai County Public Works Department for signs posted on County right of way to file a complaint. 928-771-3183 or e-mail web.public.works@yavapaiaz.gov

 Please call the City or Town for signs posted on City or Town right of way to file a complaint.