By Madeline Ackley Salazar
Mail | Twitter: @Mkayackley

It's election day for residents of Litchfield Park, who have until 7 p.m. Tuesday to cast their ballot in the May 17 special election.

Residents will vote on a single ballot item that will determine if city leadership can sell roughly 12 acres of city property to developers. 

The parcels in question are on the southeast corner of Litchfield Road and Village Parkway and are part of the planned Litchfield Square development—the city’s attempt at building out The Park’s downtown core. 

A ‘yes’ vote will give the city permission to make land sales that exceed $1.5 million. A ‘no’ vote will mean the city cannot make land sales exceeding $1.5 million. 

Read on to learn more about the election and how to vote.

What is on the ballot? Between 2014 and 2017 the city of Litchfield Park purchased several parcels of land on the southeast corner of Litchfield Road and Village Parkway at the site of the future Litchfield Square development. The city is now selling off these parcels to developers, but must first gain permission from voters in all property sales that exceed $1.5 million. Click here to read a more in-depth article about the election and the land Litchfield Park wants to sell to developers. 

READ: Early voting begins in Litchfield parcel sale election

Who can vote in this election?  Registered voters who are residents of the city of Litchfield Park may vote in the May 17 election. If you’re unsure if you live within the boundaries of the city of Litchfield Park, click here to use the precinct locator. If you are unsure if you’re registered to vote in Litchfield Park, click here to check your status.

Where do I vote? The May 17 election is an all-mail election and eligible voters should have already received their ballot in the mail. You have the option to fill out your ballot and return it by mail. If you are mailing in your ballot, you should do so as soon as possible and no later than seven full days before the election. You can also drop off your ballot at a designated drop box location. Two drop box locations will be open between April 20 and May 17: Litchfield Park City Hall and Maricopa County Elections. Litchfield Park City Hall is located at 214 W. Wigwam Blvd. and is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Maricopa County Elections is located at 510 S. 3rd Avenue in Phoenix, and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There will also be a drop box location available at The Church at Litchfield Park on election day only. The drop box will be available on May 17 from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. You can also request a replacement ballot at this location on election day only (see: Can I vote in person?) Please note that all ballots must be cast no later than 7 p.m. on May 17.

If I’m not registered to vote, can I cast a ballot in this election? Not now. In Arizona, you need to register to vote 29 days before an election, so the deadline to register passed April 18. If you’d like to register to vote in future elections, click here for more information.

If I miss the deadline to mail in my ballot, can I still vote? Yes. You still have the option to drop off your ballot at a ballot drop box until 7 p.m. on May 17, 2022. To find a list of locations, click here to be directed to the Maricopa County Elections Department. 

Can I vote in this election if I’m not on the Active Early Voting List (AEVL)?  Yes. You can vote as long as you are registered, even if you’re not on the AEVL. Every eligible voter should have already received a ballot in the mail. If you have not received your ballot, or it has been lost or damaged, contact the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office at (602) 506-1511 or email evreq@risc.maricopa.gov. You should request a new ballot no later than 5 p.m. on May 6, 2022. If this deadline has passed, consider voting in person (see below). 

Can I vote in person? Yes, but only on election day, and only at The Church at Litchfield Park polling site at 300 N. Old Litchfield Road. That site will be open on May 17 ONLY  from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. If you are an eligible voter who has not received a ballot or your ballot has been lost or stolen, voting in person is a way that you can still vote in an all-maile election. To vote in person, go to the location listed above on election day and request a replacement ballot.  You will be required to show proof you are eligible to vote when voting in person. Click here to be directed to the Citizens Clean Elections Commission website for a list of acceptable identification when voting in person.

Where can I view the results of the election?  Unofficial results of the special election will be posted here on the Maricopa County Elections Department website beginning at 8 p.m. on May 17. It may take a few days for the elections department to count all the ballots and provide official results. The Independent will be tracking election updates on our website, Twitter and Facebook page. 

Do you have any questions not answered in the above guide? Send us an email at mackley@iniusa.org. If we can't answer your questions, we'll find someone who can. Happy voting!