Arizona Turnout Falls to Decade Low

Midterm participation dropped below 60% for the first time since 2014, as Democrats won a governing trifecta at the state Capitol.

Updated on Nov. 14, 2026 in Elections

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Turnout in Arizona's Nov. 3, 2026 midterm election was approximately 59.64%, the lowest in over a decade. More than 2.6 million of 4.3 million eligible voters cast ballots, and Democrats secured their first governing trifecta at the state Capitol since the 1960s.

Why it matters

The decline came with Republicans less likely to vote than in prior midterms, while Democratic turnout held steady. For Arizona residents, the result reshapes control of state government and raises questions about voter engagement in non-marquee contests.

Arizona's 2026 midterm turnout of about 59.64% trailed the 62.56% recorded in 2022 and the 64.85% recorded in 2018, falling below 60% for the first time in a midterm since 2014. Whether the Republican drop-off reflects a lasting shift or a one-time pattern has not been determined.

The players

Adrian Fontes

Arizona's Secretary of State, who publicly discussed the state's turnout figures at a news conference the day after the election.

Arizona Republican Party

The state's Republican Party organization, which has said it will analyze what drove the lower turnout among its voters.

The details

Political strategists attribute the decline mainly to Republicans being less likely to vote, while Democrats voted at numbers similar to 2018 and 2022. Arizona had no U.S. Senate race on the ballot, the first such midterm since 2014, which meant fewer campaign dollars entered the state and one fewer candidate drove voters to the polls.

2014: Last midterm with a U.S. Senate race absent and turnout of 47.52%.
2018: Midterm turnout peaked at 64.85%.
2022: Midterm turnout reached 62.56%.
Nov. 3, 2026: Midterm election held with turnout of approximately 59.64%.
Nov. 4, 2026: Secretary of State Adrian Fontes held a news conference on turnout.

Political Context

Arizona's 2026 turnout of roughly 59.64% fell nearly three percentage points below the 62.56% recorded in 2022 and well under the 64.85% peak of 2018. Compared with those midterms, the decline is concentrated among Republican voters rather than being spread evenly across the electorate.

Lower turnout means the outcomes of Arizona's 2026 midterm races were decided by a smaller share of eligible voters than in recent cycles. The shift in legislative control will determine which policies move through the Capitol in the coming session.

The takeaway

Turnout dropped even as Democratic participation held steady, which shows that a missing Senate race can noticeably shrink participation in a midterm. Voters who want to track how turnout shifts can compare county-level results across election cycles.