Insights into what Arizonans value most when it comes to elections.
Statewide nonpartisan survey research that moves the conversation about elections beyond outcomes and rhetoric — grounding it instead in shared public principles and trusted facts looking ahead to the 2026 election cycle and beyond.
A Public Definition of Election Quality
Elections are essential to a healthy democracy — but conversations about them are often shaped by political rhetoric or reactions to outcomes rather than shared priorities.
The Good Elections Project asks a different question: What should a good election deliver, regardless of party, candidate, or outcome?
To answer that question, CFA conducted a statewide, nonpartisan public opinion survey to understand:
- What Arizonans expect from elections
- How they feel about elections and democracy today
- What actions they support to strengthen trust, participation, and confidence
The findings provide a clear, data-driven shared vision to guide future election decisions and discussions across Arizona.
Key Findings: What Arizonans Agree Makes a Good Election
What the data show
Please rate your level of agreement with the following statement: Fair and secure elections are important to maintain a healthy democracy.
of Arizonans agree that fair and secure elections are essential to a healthy democracy
In general, do you believe your vote can change things for the better?
of Arizonans say YES
What the data show
Across nine tested principles, at least 83% of Arizonans say each is essential or important. When asked to prioritize what matters most Accuracy consistently ranks first across all Arizonans, political affiliations and age groups.
| All Arizonans | Total Important | Essential |
| Accuracy: Every ballot is counted and counted correctly | 96% | 79% |
| Transparency: Election processes are clear and observable | 96% | 74% |
| Trustworthy: People running elections are objective and impartial | 94% | 77% |
| Voter access: Voting is equally easy for all eligible voters* | 93% | 64%* |
| Safety of voters and election workers | 93% | 69% |
| Fiscal responsibility: Taxpayer dollars are spent wisely | 93% | 61% |
| Voter participation: High voter turnout | 92% | 61% |
| Speed of results: Delivering results quickly | 87% | 44% |
| Multiple options/ways for people to vote (e.g voting early, voting by mail etc.) | 83% | 50% |
* Survey respondents were also asked to rank the nine principles listed in the chart above. Voter access was more often selected as a top choice and as one of respondents' top three principles.
What the data show
Please rate your level of agreement with the following statement: We can trust the local and state officials who administer our elections to ensure that they are conducted fairly, accurately, and securely.
of Arizonans agree
As we look ahead to the 2026 election in Arizona, how confident are you that each of the following will occur?
| All Arizonans | Republican | Democrat | IND/UN | 18-29 | 30-44 | 45-64 | 65+ | |
| Most Arizonans will accept the certified election results | 73% | 79% | 71% | 68% | 72% | 71% | 68% | 79% |
| I personally will accept the certified election results | 80% | 78% | 87% | 78% | 80% | 77% | 80% | 84% |
What the data show
Please indicate how serious a threat you think misinformation is to safe, fair, and accurate elections in Arizona.
of Arizonans say misinformation is a threat
60% of which say it’s a serious threat
How much do you trust the following people or groups to provide accurate information about elections?
| All Arizonans | Republican | Democrat | IND/UN | |
| Local election workers: | 75% | 69% | 83% | 72% |
| County election officials: | 69% | 63% | 78% | 67% |
| State election officials: | 67% | 60% | 78% | 65% |
| Friends and family: | 67% | 79% | 71% | 68% |
| Nonpartisan civic organizations: | 66% | 55% | 75% | 71% |
| News media: | 48% | 36% | 65% | 48% |
| Politicians and political parties: | 43% | 46% | 43% | 41% |
| Influencers on social media | 29% | 30% | 24% | 32% |
What the data show
Do you support or oppose continuing to allow Arizona voters the option to vote early by mail?
of Arizonans agree
56% of which strongly agree
Below are two statements you might hear regarding the timing of election results. Please indicate which statement best matches your perspective.
Voter A believes we need to have election results sooner, even if it means limiting convenient voting options. We should stop ballot drop-off a few days before Election Day to speed up results.
Voter B believes it should be easy and convenient for eligible citizens to vote. We should continue allowing voters to drop off their early ballots up to and including Election Day. It’s worth it to ensure every voter has a chance to vote, even if it means waiting longer for final election results.
What the data show
In Arizona, many political races are effectively decided during the Democratic or Republican party primaries, which are funded with taxpayer dollars. Independent voters can vote in a party primary, but they must first request a party’s ballot. Which of the following statements comes closest to your view?
Arizona should replace party primaries with an open primary system, or, all registered voters should have the same access including independents
Voting in a party’s primary should be restricted to those registered with that party
What the data show
Please indicate whether you personally support or oppose each of the following ideas that some have proposed as ways to improve participation or confidence in elections.
| Supported Action | All | Republican | Democrat | IND/UN | 18-29 | 30-44 | 45-64 | 65+ |
| Add more voting centers | 89% | 91% | 95% | 83% | 80% | 89% | 93% | 92% |
| Increase staffing and resources to process and count ballots more quickly | 89% | 89% | 92% | 87% | 80% | 86% | 93% | 96% |
| Shorten wait times at the polls on Election Day | 87% | 88% | 88% | 87% | 79% | 88% | 91% | 90% |
| Expand early voting locations or hours | 83% | 75% | 94% | 82% | 84% | 86% | 83% | 77% |
| Make Election Day a state or federal holiday | 78% | 77% | 79% | 78% | 78% | 83% | 83% | 67% |
What the data show
Some election improvements—like hiring more workers, upgrading equipment, or improving vote counting—may require additional funding. Would you support or oppose increasing funding for Arizona’s elections to improve how they are run?
of Arizonans support
Would you support increased public funding to improve the way elections are run in Arizona if that meant a small increase in your state taxes?
of Arizonans support
The survey also reveals where views and experiences differ across political affiliations and age groups, providing insight into how different Arizonans engage with elections and what factors increase confidence.
For example, younger voters (ages 18-29) stand out as an important group to watch as Arizona’s electorate continues to evolve. They are more supportive of modernization reforms than older Arizonans, trust information sources differently, and view some voting options through a more digital-first lens:
- Automatic voter registration: 78% support (ages 18-29) vs. 46% (ages 65+)
- Same-day voter registration: 74% support (ages 18-29) vs. 41% (ages 65+)
- Trust people on social media for accurate election information: 54% (ages 18-29) vs. 7% (ages 65+)
- Voting by mail is convenient: 45% (ages 18-29) vs. 67% (ages 65+)
Resources & Information
Coming soon
- Full Good Elections Survey Report (print + digital)
- One-page summary
- Communications Toolkit
For in depth voting and election information, start here:
CFA’s Good Elections survey was fielded by Noble Predictive Insights, an Arizona-based public opinion research firm.
The survey included 1,136 Arizona residents ages 18 and older, reached via opt-in online panel and text-to-online, and was conducted in English and Spanish. The sample includes 338 Hispanic/Latino respondents.
The full sample was weighted to reflect the Arizona general population by gender, region, age, race/ethnicity, and education according to recent Census data. The Hispanic/Latino sample was weighted to reflect the Arizona Hispanic/Latino population by gender, region, age, and education. The margin of error is approximately ±2.9 percentage points for the full sample and ±5.3 points for the Hispanic/Latino sample. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.
Subgroup Definitions
Party affiliation is self-reported as follows:
- Republican: those currently registered with the Republican party.
- Democratic: those currently registered with the Democratic party.
- Independent/unaffiliated: all other registered voters who are not Republican or Democrat (which includes those who reported “independent” or “no party” or “party not declared”) as well as the other recognized parties that represent less than 2% of registered voters in the state (Libertarian: 0.77%, No Labels: 0.68%, and Green 0.07%).
All age groups reflect the current age of voters at the time of the surveys.
- 18-29
- 30-44
- 45-64
- 65+
Hispanic/Latino respondents self-identified.
Thanks to our Supporters
The Good Elections Project is supported in part by Don Budinger, John and Kathleen Graham, Burton Family Foundation, Lodestar Foundation, Pivotal Foundation, Thomas R. Brown Family Private Foundation Fund held at the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, the Arizona Democracy Resilience Network (ADRN), and Save Democracy.