The 2024 General Election in Page and Coconino County is different from past elections. Knowing what to expect and preparing ahead of time will make it easier for voters and election workers.

The last day to register for the Nov. 5 election is Oct. 7. Early ballots begin mailing Oct. 9. The last day to request an early ballot is Oct. 25. The last day to vote early in person at a Voting Center is Nov. 1.

Voters receiving ballots by mail don’t have to return them by mail. If it’s getting close to the deadline, the US Post Office might not deliver on time. Alternatively, ballots can be deposited in drop boxes, dropped off at Vote Centers from Oct. 9 through Nov. 1, or taken to the polls Nov 5. 

The Chronicle spoke with Coconino County Elections Director Eslir Musta and County Supervisor Lena Fowler about this year’s election. They’re part of a county-wide effort to prepare voters for the new ballots. 

Because it’s a presidential election year, Musta is expecting a high turnout. In 2020, county turnout was 82%. He’s expecting 78 to 83% turnout of registered voters for 2024.

Although the county is preparing by providing ample resources and staff for a smooth election, there’s a new element and concern. To get ahead of it, Coconino County election officials are on an “Election Info Tour.” The goal is to help voters understand and make a plan.

“We have a very unique situation,” said Musta. “For the first time in the in the county and first time in Page, the ballot is really going to be long. There are 37 different selections between candidates and propositions on the ballot. So it's an unusually long ballot.”

“I would advise people look at how long this thing is,” said Fowler, “As long as my arm, and it's gonna take at least 25 to 30 minutes. And if you have an interpreter there, then it's gonna take longer to go through this ballot.”

Musta said the county tested, measured and determined it could take up to 30 minutes to read through and complete the voting process.

The 2024 ballot is two pages (printed on both sides) and 8.5” x 19” long. It’s more than choosing candidates. The Page South ballot, for example, has the candidates and 15 propositions on the front and back of the first page; the City of Page recall election is on the second page. 

County officials fear the extra reading will slow voting lines. Rather than standing in line, then trying to figure out the ballot, Fowler recommends filling out the sample ballot at home, then taking it with you as a guide if you’re voting on Election Day.

“Don't be worried about it,” said Musta. “It's just two pieces of paper. You are voting all of these races, from the federal races and the presidential candidates all the way to the propositions and even Page Hospital has a question, a proposition this time around in this area.”

Whether you’re voting by mail, drop box or in person on Election Day, it’s important to look at both sides of both ballots and keep the two pages together. This is important for the chain of custody and accountability.

In past elections, the county printed ballots for every registered voter. If voter turnout was only 30%, then 70% of the ballots were unused. Ballots on demand printing is more cost effective and cuts down on waste.

The ballot on demand printers can also make voting more convenient. “A new thing for this election cycle is we are using these Vote Centers,” said Musta. “So the difference of the Vote Center is that anybody, no matter where you are, no matter what your precinct registration is, if you were registered in LeChee, but you work at the hospital, here at the health clinic, here in Page, you don't have to go to LeChee to vote and take a break from your work. During lunch, you can go to the Page City Hall Vote Center. They will let you check in through the regular process and then they issue you a paper ID because we have these ballot on demand printers that allow the voter to print that ballot style that they're assigned to and can vote on. So it's a more effective way of allowing people to vote where they are or where they do business rather than trying to kind of force them to go to that particular location. So, if you were a Page resident and you were in Flagstaff, at the Flagstaff Medical center, like visiting family on Election Day, you can go to any of these locations in Flagstaff, show ID, vote, and it would count, and you'd be processed as a regular voter.”

“As long as [you’re] within Coconino County, you can go to any polling place [and] vote there,” said Fowler.

The voting system will recognize the registered voter and print a ballot for correct precinct. There are 14 Vote Centers in Coconino County, including Page City Hall and Tuba City High School.

The county’s equipment, in addition to helping voters with hearing or visual impairment, has a braille touchscreen and a headset, so you can have the ballot narrated in English, Spanish, Navajo and Hopi. Voters can navigate with a touch screen.

 “A lot of the equipment has been standardized for federal elections, and this is a way for people that need access, language, visual, hearing to be able to independently vote,” said Musta. “Even though we have that access, a lot of people at the polling places still want to vote a traditional ballot and make sure. So we also have interpreters who are at the polling sites that can help that voter and explain. Like, ‘What does this proposition, one through three, what does it say?’ They're able to walk that voter through. The goal is to have always two people coaching and helping the voter. They're not there to say, ‘Oh, I really like ‘yes’ or ‘no,’’ but they are there to help explain [the printed text on the ballot] to that voter.”

Musta said the language option is very popular in the Navajo precincts. “We have three or four at certain locations that are more high use, like Kaibeto and Tonalea,” said Musta. “They really like the technology. They really like to hear the ballot narrated.”

Some voting options, like different languages, are tailored to the precinct. All voting sites follow federal access requirements. In other words, they are ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant.

“It is tailored to the area,” said Fowler. “On Navajo Nation, at each of the Chapters, except for Tuba City, when you walk in, the county election is on one side now, Navajo Nation election is on the other side. So, Navajo Nation, we can go in, and like this election cycle, it's the chapter officials and school board members and other officials. We're able to vote there and [when] we're done there, then we just walk to the other side, and we vote on the county side.”

“It really helps with voter turnout,” said Musta. “Having them co-located in the same facility helps tremendously with the ability for people to vote in the nation's election and then vote in the federal, state, county election. It makes a huge difference.”

Musta said it’s important for Page voters to know there are two pages and “to really study the sample ballot that you receive at home. If you're going to be voting in person, take the time to fill it out. You can take that into the election poll and use that as you vote in person, or you can choose to do an early ballot and then you can vote from home.”

For more election information, visit Coconino.az.gov/elections.

Locations, dates and times for the Election Info Tour:

Wednesday, Sept. 25

Page Chamber of Commerce, 1 p.m.
48 S. Lake Powell Blvd., Page

Page Community Center, 3 p.m.
699 S. Navajo Dr, Page

Page City Hall, 5:30 p.m.
697 Vista Ave., Page

Thursday, Sept. 26

Coconino Community College, 9 a.m.
475 S. Lake Powell Blvd., Page