Heap Touts Fast Primary Count as Proof Arizona Reforms Working

Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap is pointing to the county’s rapid reporting of primary election results as evidence that recent election reforms and operational changes are delivering on promises to improve the speed, transparency, and efficiency of elections in Arizona’s largest county. Just over 27 hours after polls closed on July 21, 2026, more than 99% of ballots cast in Maricopa County had been tabulated, leaving just an estimated 5,912 ballots awaiting signature curing, provisional ballot verification, damaged ballot review, or write-in adjudication. County officials reported that 674,368 ballots had been counted by Wednesday evening.

Heap celebrated the milestone on social media after his office completed the signature verification process for early ballots dropped off on Election Day.

“A huge thank you to the dedicated staff who came in at 2 a.m. to ensure we delivered the fast, accurate, and transparent results we promised Maricopa County voters,” Heap wrote. “The verified ballots have now been transferred to the Board’s Election Department for tabulation.”

The Recorder’s Office was responsible for verifying signatures on early ballots before transferring them to the Maricopa County Elections Department for tabulation under a new agreement reached earlier this month between Heap and the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. The settlement ended months of legal disputes over election administration and clarified that the Recorder would oversee much of the early voting process while the Elections Department retained responsibility for ballot tabulation and Election Day operations.

Heap campaigned on restoring public confidence in Maricopa County elections through greater transparency, accountability, and operational improvements. The 2026 primary represented the first countywide election under his administration and the first opportunity to demonstrate those reforms.

One of the most significant changes this election cycle allowed voters who brought their early ballots to vote centers on Election Day to present identification and have those ballots immediately accepted for tabulation instead of entering the traditional post-election signature verification process. Approximately 23,000 voters took advantage of the new option, significantly reducing the number of ballots requiring additional processing after polls closed.

The rapid reporting marked a dramatic improvement over recent election cycles, when Maricopa County faced national criticism over the length of time required to process ballots, particularly those dropped off at vote centers on Election Day. Election officials had originally projected that 99% of ballots would be counted by the Friday following Election Day. Instead, that benchmark was reached in just over a day.

Maricopa County Board Chair Kate Brophy McGee credited both election workers and voters for helping achieve the accelerated timeline.

“Multiple factors made this milestone possible just a little over 24 hours following the close of polls, beginning with the tireless efforts of poll workers and elections staff who worked through the night,” Brophy McGee said. “Voters themselves also played a role, as many chose to exercise a new option available this cycle that enables them to prove their identity and tabulate their early ballot in the vote center rather than dropping it off to be validated and counted post-election.”

While county officials emphasized that the remaining ballots must still complete the statutory verification and curing process before results become official, the primary election provided an early indication that the reforms championed by Heap’s office have substantially reduced one of the largest bottlenecks that delayed results in previous election cycles. For Heap, the speedy count represents more than an operational achievement. It provides the first measurable evidence that the changes implemented under his leadership may be restoring confidence in Maricopa County’s election process after years of controversy over the pace of ballot counting.