As Arizona enters another important election season, many League members are asking the same question:

"What can I do?"

It's a fair question.

Across the country, we're seeing growing challenges to voting rights, increasing misinformation, public distrust, and efforts that can make participation more difficult or discourage voters from taking part in our elections.

At moments like these, it's easy to become discouraged.

But this is exactly why the League of Women Voters exists.

For more than 100 years, the League has answered these challenges not with fear, but with service.

• We educate voters.

• We protect the freedom to vote.

• We support election officials.

• We help our neighbors participate.

• We bring communities together.

• We believe our country is strongest when every eligible voter can make their voice heard.

This newsletter is filled with opportunities for each of us to do exactly that.

Throughout this newsletter, you'll see the many ways LWVAZ is responding to this moment:

• Launching VOTE411 to provide every Arizona voter with trusted, nonpartisan election information.

• Hosting Voices from Arizona, one of only five national Voting Rights Act Day of Action events, to elevate Native American and Latino voices and strengthen future voting rights advocacy.

• Mobilizing our Get Out the Vote (GOTV) Team through texting, phone banking, and digital outreach to increase voter participation in the General Election.

• Recruiting Election Protection Poll Monitors to help ensure every voter can cast a ballot safely and confidently.

• Preparing balanced, nonpartisan analyses of statewide ballot propositions so voters can make informed decisions on some of the most consequential issues facing Arizona.

• Speaking out in the courts and through advocacy to defend voting rights, election administration, and public confidence in our democracy.

The League has never asked members simply to watch events unfold.

We ask members to participate.

• To lead.

• To serve.

• To help build a country where every eligible voter has the opportunity to participate, and every legally cast ballot is counted.

That work belongs to all of us. And now is the time to step forward.

Pinny Sheoran, Chair LWVAZ Advocacy
Gitelle Seer, Vice Chair LWVAZ Advocacy

Understanding Arizona's Housing Crisis: Lunch & Learn Series

The League of Women Voters of Arizona is proud to partner with the Safe Communities Coalition and the Arizona Faith Network to advance thoughtful, community-based solutions to Arizona's housing and homelessness crisis.

The LWV of Southern Arizona (formerly Greater Tucson) and LWV of Metropolitan Phoenix have comprehensive Housing Positions to guide their local advocacy and public education efforts on this critical issue. This Lunch & Learn provides an excellent opportunity for League members to deepen their understanding of Arizona's housing challenges and explore compassionate, practical approaches to addressing them.

We encourage all League members to attend this important program and share it with others who are interested in housing, homelessness, and community well-being.

📅 Register for Parts One and Two  REGISTER FOR ZOOM LINK     (https://membership-usa.keela.co/servingsafely)

August 8 - A Statewide Day of Action Commemorating the Voting Rights Act

On Saturday, August 8, the League of Women Voters of Arizona will host Voices from Arizona, a statewide Day of Action commemorating the legacy of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

The League of Women Voters of Arizona has been selected by the League of Women Voters of the United States as one of only five signature locations nationwide to host this important event—recognition of Arizona's leadership in advancing voting rights, civic engagement, and community-centered democracy.

Each of the five national events will focus on the voting experiences of different communities:

• San Francisco – Asian American, Pacific Islander, and LGBTQ+ communities

• Detroit – Northern Black communities

• Atlanta – Southern Black communities

• Philadelphia – The birthplace of American democracy and voting rights

• Phoenix – Latino and Native American communities

Arizona's event is unique. Through a Phoenix Anchor Event, satellite gatherings hosted by local Leagues in Tucson and Surprise, and a statewide livestream, we will bring together Tribal leaders, Latino leaders, community members, youth leaders, educators, election officials, faith leaders, advocates, and other trusted voices to share their lived experiences with voting, civic participation, and access to trusted election information.

Rather than speaking about communities, Voices from Arizona creates space for communities to speak for themselves. Through two statewide Listening Circles, participants will share their experiences, identify barriers to civic participation, discuss what strengthens trust in our elections, and offer ideas to help shape future voting rights advocacy.

These conversations will not end on August 8. The stories, experiences, and recommendations gathered during the Listening Circles will help inform the League's future voter education, civic engagement, and voting rights advocacy at both the state and national levels. Arizona's findings will also become part of a broader national effort to commemorate the Voting Rights Act and support efforts to strengthen voting rights for future generations

Attend in Person

League members are invited to attend the Phoenix Anchor Event at the George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center. Advance registration is required, and seating is limited.

Listening Circles - Voices from Arizona: A Statewide Day of Action to Strengthen Voting Rights - 8/8/2026

Members must log in using their League membership credentials to register through ClubExpress.

If you live in Southern Arizona or Northwest Maricopa County, the LWV of Southern Arizona (formerly known as LWV of Greater Tucson) and LWV of Northwest Maricopa County will provide information about participating in the Tucson or Surprise satellite gatherings. Please visit your local League's website or contact your local League for additional information.

Partner organizations, invited storytellers, election officials, and community leaders have received separate invitations and registration information.

Join the Conversation Live

Can't attend in person? We invite League members, partners, and supporters from across Arizona—and beyond—to join us online through our statewide livestream.

Watch the stories. Listen to the conversations. Submit your questions. Be part of this historic statewide dialogue.

Livestream Schedule

• 10:00 a.m. – Latino Voices Listening Circle
  https://bit.ly/4vuN0UO

• 1:30 p.m. – Native Voices Listening Circle
  https://bit.ly/4vB9Udq

Please save the date—Saturday, August 8, 2026—and bookmark the livestream links today. Together, we can elevate the voices and lived experiences that will help shape the future of voter education, civic engagement, and voting rights in Arizona and across the nation.

We hope you will join us for this historic statewide Day of Action.

VOTE411.org is the League of Women Voters’ nonpartisan digital voter guide, a one-stop shop for personalized voting information on races, candidates, ballot measures, elections, and voting, and links to register to vote and verify registration.

The VOTE411 Voters' Guide was published on June 24 to coincide with the start of early voting.

Visit https://www.vote411.org, enter your address, and access your personalized, nonpartisan voter guide.

VOTE411 includes:

• Candidates’ responses to League-developed questions for Federal, state, county, and local races

• Bio questions, including public policy positions, endorsements, social media tags, and education

• Information on when, where, and how to vote

• Key election dates and deadlines

• Voter registration links and other helpful resources

Candidates can continue submitting responses, so check back regularly for updates.

We invited all candidates—including incumbents and unopposed candidates—to participate. Write-in candidates are not included because they do not appear on Arizona ballots. Despite multiple reminders, many candidates have not yet responded.

 How You Can Help - Candidate Reminders

Check Your Candidates

Go to https://www.vote411.org, enter your address, and see whether your candidates answered our questions. Encourage friends and family across Arizona to do the same.

Encourage Candidates to Participate

If a candidate has not responded, reach out by phone, email, or social media. Nothing is more persuasive than hearing directly from potential constituents.

Suggested message:

"As a voter, I want to know where my candidates stand on the issues. Please participate in the VOTE411 Voters' Guide so voters can be informed before casting their ballots. If you can’t find your invitation email, lwvazadvocacy@gmail.com to request another one"

 How You Can Help - Spread the Word

Promote VOTE411

• Share VOTE411 on social media

• Post in Nextdoor and community groups

• Follow and share League posts:

  • Instagram: @lwvarizona

  • Facebook: facebook.com/LWVAZ

• Tell friends, family, neighbors, and colleagues. Every conversation helps inform more voters.

Share your local league’s recorded candidate forums and debates

• Links to YouTube recordings of League-hosted or co-hosted events are included in the VOTE411 position descriptions, allowing us to showcase the event while informing voters who did not attend

• The LWVAZ YouTube Playlist Candidate Debates and Forums 2026 contains links to all League-hosted or co-hosted candidate events

• Contact lwvazadvocacy@gmail.com for information on how to share the links.

Volunteer to Display a VOTE411 Sign

Increase awareness of VOTE411 by displaying a yard or window sign in visible locations throughout your community.  Every sign helps raise awareness of VOTE411 and connects voters to reliable election information.

Together, we can ensure Arizona voters know where to find the information they need before casting their ballots.

• Where Can You Display a VOTE411 Sign?

  • Your Home - Display a yard sign at your residence if permitted by your HOA, local regulations, or property owner.

  • Businesses and Storefronts - Ask local businesses if they would be willing to place a VOTE411 sign in a window or other visible location.

  • Libraries - Many libraries support voter education efforts. Please obtain permission before placing any signs.

  • Community Centers - Community centers, senior centers, and recreation facilities may be willing to display VOTE411 signs. Always request permission first.

  • High-Traffic Areas - Where permitted by law, place signs in highly visible locations where voters commonly see campaign signs and election information. Be sure not to block sidewalks, driveways, traffic visibility, or pedestrian pathways.

• When Should Signs Be Displayed?

  • On Private Property - Signs may be displayed now and remain up through the November General Election.

  • In public rights-of-way, Arizona law generally permits temporary political signs beginning 71 days before an election and ending 15 days after the election. If you place signs in public areas, please remove them promptly after each election period as required.

    • 2026 Election Dates - Primary Election: July 21, 2026; General Election: November 3, 2026

To arrange the pickup of signs, please contact your local league. 

Special thanks to our VOTE411 Steering Team and the many League volunteers who devoted countless hours to writing candidate questions, gathering and verifying candidate information, and following up with candidates. We are especially grateful to our advocacy interns and consultants for their exceptional dedication and invaluable contributions throughout the process. 

Questions? Need candidate contact information? Know a candidate who can't find their invitation? Email: lwvazadvocacy@gmail.com

In November, Arizona voters will have to decide on complex ballot propositions that will have lasting impacts on our state and our communities. The League of Women Voters of Arizona is committed to helping voters understand every statewide ballot proposition through clear, factual, and balanced educational materials.

We're looking for volunteers to research and prepare balanced, objective analyses for VOTE411 and our statewide ballot proposition guides.

This work is distinct from the League's advocacy/ lobbying efforts on ballot measures. For some ballot propositions, LWVAZ has adopted a position and submits advocacy arguments to the Arizona Secretary of State's Ballot Publicity Pamphlet. Our voter education materials serve a different purpose. Whether or not the League has taken a position, we prepare balanced, fact-based analyses of every statewide ballot proposition to help voters understand the measure before they cast their ballot.

Our analyses are designed to explain:

• What the proposition would do.

• How it would change the current law.

• The potential impacts of the measure.

• The principal arguments offered by both supporters and opponents.

Our goal is not to tell voters how to vote, but to ensure they have the information they need to make an informed decision.

If you enjoy research, public policy, writing, or simply helping fellow Arizonans become informed voters, we'd love to have you join our Ballot Proposition Analysis Team. Your work will help thousands of voters better understand the issues before they vote.

What’s On the Ballot?

• Legislative referrals

  • The vehicle for a legislative referral, whether to change a law or the Arizona Constitution, is a concurrent resolution. 

  • Concurrent resolutions must be passed by both chambers and are transmitted directly to the Secretary of State for placement on the ballot.

  • The November ballot will include 10 legislative referrals, 7 from the 2026 session and 3 from the 2025 session. 

• Citizens’ Initiatives

  • The campaigns must get a designated number of valid signatures from AZ registered voters

  • Possible initiatives on the ballot

    • Protect Education, Accountability Now 

    • I Care a Lot

    • Relating to Health Care Executive Compensation
      
      

  • Note: The Free, Fair and Secure Elections Act will not be on the November ballot. The “Protect the Vote Arizona” campaign collected 439,000 signatures, not enough to withstand inevitable challenges to and disqualifications of thousands of those signatures.   
    
    

  •  Timeline:

    • The deadline to submit signatures was July 2

    • We will know which campaigns submitted the required number of signatures by mid-July

    • Verification and possible litigation occur July  - August

• The ballot measures currently on the ballot are in the TAB **PROPS ON BALLOT** in the LWVAZ State Ballot Measures Master Spreadsheet 2026. This sheet is our working document, with links to files and folders, work status, team members, and more.  

• Deadline for Preparation of Educational Content

  • We must finalize our analysis by August 12

How Do I Volunteer?

Sign up to work on a ballot proposition by emailing lwvazadvocacy@gmail.com. Include the numbers or topic you are interested in, and we will add your name to our tracking document. The ballot measures currently on the ballot are in the TAB **PROPS ON BALLOT** in the LWVAZ State Ballot Measures Master Spreadsheet 2026.

Remember, this is a collaborative effort, and no one works alone. Once you sign up, you will receive instructions, guidance documents, and access to all necessary Google files and folders.

We encourage members who worked on the SOS arguments to also work on the educational content.

Questions? Ready to volunteer? Email lwvazadvocacy@gmail.com

The League of Women Voters of Arizona is launching its 2026 Get Out the Vote (GOTV) effort for the General Election, and we're looking for volunteers to help us encourage voter participation across the state.

Using a combination of text messaging, phone banking, and digital outreach, volunteers will help ensure voters receive timely, accurate, and nonpartisan information about important deadlines and voting options.

A Great Opportunity to Learn

If you've ever wanted to participate in League voter outreach but weren't sure how to get started, this is the perfect opportunity.

We'll provide training and support so you can learn how to:

• Send nonpartisan voter outreach text messages.

• Make voter outreach phone calls and leave voicemail reminders.

• Use our outreach tools and technology.

• Participate in coordinated statewide voter engagement efforts.

Whether you're an experienced volunteer or completely new to texting and phone banking, we'll help you get comfortable with the process.

Our Outreach Is Always Nonpartisan

As always, the League of Women Voters does not support or oppose political parties or candidates. Our goal is simple: to ensure every eligible voter has the information they need to participate in our democracy.

Join the Team!

Whether you can volunteer for one hour or several hours each week, your time will help strengthen voter participation throughout Arizona.

Interested in helping?

Email us at lwvazadvocacy@gmail.com to join the LWVAZ Get Out the Vote Team.

Together, let's help every eligible Arizona voter make their voice heard.

Legal Filings

Justin Heap v. Thomas Galvin et al. (CV-26-0189-SA) is a dispute over which Maricopa County officials (the County Recorder or the Maricopa Board of Supervisors) have legal authority to administer different aspects of elections. 

The League of Women Voters of Arizona filed an amici brief jointly with the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) on July 2 in support of the Maricopa Board of Supervisors in response to the Petition for Special Action filed by Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap. The case was filed on May 20, 2026, in the Maricopa County Superior Court, Court of Appeals Division One.

The League of Women Voters of Arizona has a strong, identifiable stake in the outcome of this case. Its mission is to encourage informed voter participation and promote confidence in elections. The League argues that Recorder Heap’s statements suggesting the 2026 Primary Election could be invalid risk discouraging voters and undermining trust in the electoral process. The brief asks the court to reject those claims and help ensure voters remain confident that ballots cast in accordance with Arizona law will be counted.

On July 7, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled in favor of Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap in his dispute with the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors over who oversees certain election responsibilities. The Court restored an earlier trial court ruling, with temporary changes for the 2026 Primary Election, and said Arizona law likely gives those responsibilities to the Recorder. To avoid disrupting an election already underway, the Court approved a temporary plan that keeps voting locations, hours, ballots, equipment, and election workers unchanged while clearly defining who is responsible for each part of the election's administration. The goal is to ensure a smooth voting experience, avoid confusion or delays, and maintain public confidence while the case continues. 

Court filings:

Court Order July 7. 2026

Motion For Leave To File Brief Of Amici Curiae League Of United Latin American Citizens And The League Of Women Voters Of Arizona (includes the brief) July 2, 2026

For more information and background:

Arizona Supreme Court Clarifies Election Authority in Maricopa County Dispute (Arizona Supreme Court News Release July 7, 2026)

For more than a century, the League of Women Voters has defended the fundamental principle that voters choose their leaders—not the other way around.

Today, that principle is being tested.

The League of Women Voters of the United States has issued strong public statements opposing a series of actions by the Trump Administration that threaten voting rights, undermine confidence in our elections, weaken independent election administration, and concentrate greater control over the electoral process within the Executive Branch.

These actions include efforts to reshape the administration of federal elections through executive orders, attempts to require states to share sensitive voter information, changes affecting the delivery of election mail, the dismissal of members of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), efforts to curtail long-standing Department of Justice election monitoring, and other actions that the League believes erode democratic norms and the constitutional system of checks and balances.

The League has not remained on the sidelines.

LWVUS has publicly condemned these actions, joined national coalitions defending voting rights, and is participating as a party or amicus curiae in litigation challenging several of these measures. The League has also spoken forcefully against growing efforts to intimidate voters, election officials, and communities that have historically faced barriers to voting.

Why This Matters

The Election Assistance Commission was established by Congress as an independent, bipartisan agency to support election officials through research, voluntary standards, grants, and technical assistance. While the Commission does not administer elections, weakening its independence raises serious concerns about the future of nonpartisan election administration.

Similarly, limiting federal election oversight, disrupting established election processes, or creating uncertainty around voting procedures can disproportionately affect voters who already face barriers to participation, including Native American, Latino, Black, Asian American, rural, disabled, and military voters.

The League believes these actions should concern every American who values free and fair elections.

Democracy Requires More Than Elections

Democracy depends not only on the right to vote, but on public confidence that elections are administered fairly, transparently, and free from political interference.

The League will continue to oppose efforts that undermine those principles, regardless of which political party or administration is in power.

As these issues continue to unfold, LWVAZ will keep members informed through our Advocacy Updates, action alerts, and educational programs. We encourage members to stay informed through trusted sources, share accurate information within their communities, and continue supporting the League's work to protect voting rights and strengthen democracy.