COLORADO CITY, Ariz. — For the first time, voters in the North Canyon precinct will have access to in-person early voting ahead of the July 21 Primary Election, as the Mohave County Recorder’s Office launches a new site aimed at improving access for residents who have historically had fewer voting options than other parts of the county.
The early voting site will be open Friday, July 10, and Saturday, July 11, from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Arizona time, at Mohave Community College, Building 500, 480 South Central Street in Colorado City — the polling location for Precinct #205.
Because Colorado City sits on the Arizona-Utah border, county officials are urging residents to double-check the clock before heading to the polls. Arizona does not observe daylight saving time, so while most of Utah is currently on Mountain Daylight Time, Arizona remains on standard time year-round — putting it one hour behind Utah’s summer clock. That means the site’s 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. hours are Arizona time, which will read as 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on a Utah-set clock or phone.
“I’ve been eager to provide the North Canyon area with a portion of the access and services available to the rest of the county,” said Mohave County Recorder Lydia Henry.
Why North Canyon, why now
According to Henery, the decision to establish the site grew out of the Recorder’s Office’s ongoing efforts to expand voter access across Mohave County, particularly in areas where distance or population needs have made voting more difficult.
“The decision to establish an early voting site in the North Canyon precinct for this election cycle was based on ongoing efforts to improve voter access and participation across Mohave County,” Henry said. “We continually evaluate opportunities to make voting more convenient, particularly in areas where travel distance or population needs may create challenges for voters.”
The site was created through internal planning within the Recorder’s Office, combined with input on community needs, Henry said. Historically, North Canyon voters have had two primary options: voting by mail or voting in person on Election Day. Both options remain available, but county officials say they wanted to give residents an additional path to casting a ballot.
Why these specific dates
The Friday and Saturday early voting window was chosen with mail delivery timelines in mind, Henery said.
“Due to mail service considerations, we selected Friday, July 10, and Saturday, July 11, from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. for early voting,” she said. The Recorder’s Office noted those hours reflect Arizona time, not Utah time.
The site will also serve voters who have already received mail ballots. A secure ballot drop box will be located inside the voting site, giving residents who received an early ballot the chance to return it in person rather than relying on the mail.
Henery noted that Arizona law requires all voted ballots — whether mailed or dropped off — to be received by the Recorder’s Office by 7 p.m. on Election Day. She added that the office has already observed North Canyon voters making use of late ballot drop-offs at polling locations in past elections, which factored into the office’s planning.
A trial run for future elections
County officials are framing the North Canyon site as something of a pilot program. The Recorder’s Office plans to track participation and gather voter feedback to help determine whether the option should continue — and in what form — for the 2026 General Election.
“We encourage voters in the North Canyon area to take advantage of this new early voting opportunity,” Henery said. “We are also using this as an opportunity to evaluate participation and gather feedback to determine if this option meets the needs of voters and whether any modifications should be considered for the 2026 General Election.”
Henry emphasized that expanding access remains balanced against the office’s core election security priorities.
“Our priority is to ensure elections are conducted with the highest standards of security, accountability, and transparency,” she said. “By expanding access while maintaining strong safeguards, we are working to protect the integrity of every ballot and uphold voter confidence in our election process.”
Other early voting options
Voters countywide can also cast ballots early, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Mohave County Library branches in Bullhead City, Lake Havasu City and Kingman. Early voting began June 24 and runs through July 17, the last day to vote early in person. The deadline to request a mail ballot was July 10.
Residents with questions about the North Canyon early voting site or other voting options can contact the Mohave County Recorder’s Office, Voter Registration Division, at (928) 753-0767, or visit my.arizona.vote to verify registration status, track a ballot, or find polling locations.
The Primary Election is scheduled for Tuesday, July 21, 2026.
