2020 United States presidential election in Arizona

2020 United States presidential election in Arizona
AveryTheComrade · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Election name	2020 United States presidential election in Arizona
Country	Arizona
Type	presidential
Previous election	2016 United States presidential election in Arizona
Previous year	2016
Next election	2024 United States presidential election in Arizona
Next year	2024
Election date	November 3, 2020
Turnout	79.6%
Nominee1	Joe Biden
Party1	Democratic Party (United States)
Home state1	Delaware
Running mate1	Kamala Harris
Electoral vote1	11
Popular vote1	1,672,143
Percentage1	49.36%
Nominee2	Donald Trump
Party2	Republican Party (United States)
Home state2	Florida
Running mate2	Mike Pence
Popular vote2	1,661,686
Percentage2	49.06%

2020 United States presidential election in Arizona The 2020 presidential contest in Arizona was held on November 3, 2020, as part of the national United States presidential election, 2020. Arizona's 11 electoral votes were sought by nominees including former Vice President Joe Biden and incumbent Donald Trump. The state produced an outcome that reversed the 2016 result, drawing national attention to Arizona's demographic change, Maricopa County politics, and post-election litigation involving state and federal institutions.

Background

Arizona had been a Republican-leaning state since the late 20th century, with figures such as Barry Goldwater, John McCain, and Jan Brewer shaping statewide politics. The state's electorate combines urban centers like Phoenix and Tucson with rural counties including Cochise and Apache, and tribal lands such as the Navajo Nation. Trends in migration from California, growth in Maricopa County suburbs, and shifts among Latino voters in Pima County altered partisan calculations. Key institutions active in Arizona included the Arizona Secretary of State, the Arizona Republican Party, the Arizona Democratic Party, and county election officials in Maricopa County and Pima County.

Primary and nominations

The Democratic primary featured a calendar including contests tied to the Arizona presidential primary process and rules of the Democratic National Committee. Candidates such as Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, Michael Bloomberg, Tulsi Gabbard, and Andrew Yang campaigned in Arizona or maintained organizing efforts in Phoenix and Tucson. The Republican primary, largely uncontested after Nikki Haley and other potential challengers withdrew, formally nominated incumbent Donald Trump and running mate Mike Pence at the Republican National Convention, 2020. Delegates allocated through the Arizona Republican Party process were pledged to Trump. The Democratic nominating contest ultimately resulted in Joe Biden securing the Arizona delegate slate for the 2020 Democratic National Convention.

Campaign and polling

Throughout 2020, national and state-level polling from organizations such as The New York Times, RealClearPolitics, FiveThirtyEight, The Washington Post, and CNN showed tightening margins in Arizona. High-profile visits by Joe Biden and Donald Trump focused on Maricopa County suburbs, with running mates Kamala Harris and Mike Pence also appearing. Campaign infrastructure included the Biden-Harris campaign, the Trump campaign, and allied groups like the National Republican Senatorial Committee and Democratic-aligned organizations. Issues emphasized in Arizona advertising and debate stops included healthcare debates involving the Affordable Care Act, economic impacts tied to the COVID-19 pandemic, immigration and border security near the Mexico–United States border, water policy connected to the Colorado River Compact, and Native American health on the Navajo Nation. Voter mobilization targeted constituencies such as younger voters near Arizona State University and Latino communities in Pinal County and Yuma County.

Results

The certified result awarded Joe Biden 1,672,143 votes (49.36%) and all 11 electoral votes, with Donald Trump receiving 1,661,686 votes (49.06%). The margin was 0.30 percentage points. Biden carried urban and suburban precincts in Maricopa County and Pima County, flipping the state from Republican in 2016 to Democratic in 2020. Counties such as Coconino and Santa Cruz supported Biden, while Navajo and several rural counties remained with Trump. Early voting and mail-in ballots, overseen by county officials and guided by the Arizona Secretary of State, constituted a large share of the total amid the pandemic.

Analysis and aftermath

Post-election analysis by outlets including The New York Times, FiveThirtyEight, and academic studies pointed to several factors: demographic shifts including in-migration from California and trends among Latino voters influenced by organizations like Mi Familia Vota and Arizona Indivisible; suburban realignment in Maricopa County around counties with growing professional populations; and high turnout mobilized through groups such as the League of Women Voters and campus organizations at University of Arizona and Arizona State University. The result prompted recounts and legal challenges brought by the Trump campaign and supported by the Arizona Republican Party that reached state courts and federal filings involving figures such as Rudy Giuliani and lawyers associated with the campaign. State officials including the Arizona Secretary of State and county election officials defended the conduct of the election; audits and hand recounts in Maricopa County became focal points, involving contractors and reports debated in the Arizona Legislature. The certification of Arizona's electoral votes contributed to the nationwide tally that led to Joseph R. Biden Jr. becoming president-elect; subsequent events included the United States Electoral College meeting and the January 6, 2021 attack on the United States Capitol, which were tied to broader disputes over the 2020 outcome. The 2020 result reshaped strategic calculations for the Republican Party and the Democratic Party heading into the United States presidential election, 2024 cycle.

Category:2020 elections in Arizona