The Town of Carefree will have a polling location available for in-person voting for 12 days prior to the July 30th Primary and the November 5th General Elections at the Council Chambers at 33 Easy Street. In – person voting will be available as well as a Ballot Drop Box for mail in ballots. A secure Ballot Drop Box will also be available at Town Hall at 8 E. Sundial Circle in Carefree.

Check back for exact dates and times.

• May 5, 2024: First day to request an early ballot

• July 1, 2024: Last day to register to vote in the Primary Election

• July 3, 2024: Early voting and ballots mailed begin

• July 19, 2024: Last day to request an early ballot by mail

• July 30, 2024: Primary Election Day

To vote in the Primary Election, residents must be registered with Maricopa County Elections by July 8, 2024. Voter registration forms may also be obtained from the Maricopa County Recorder at: Register to Vote or Update Voter Registration (maricopa.gov)

Polls will be open on Election Day, July 30, 2024, from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Persons in line at 7:00 p.m. will be permitted to cast a ballot. Polling locations may be obtained from the Maricopa County Recorder at: Maricopa County Elections.

If you are unable to determine your polling location, check the Maricopa County Elections website at: Maricopa County Elections.

Candidates:

As we near the election for the three Town Council seats, there has been some confusion regarding the placement and requirement for political signs. I wanted to reach out and provide you with signage information again to alleviate any confusion or challenges. Your cooperation and compliance with the state statute as well as the “sign free zone” for the Town of Carefree is appreciated. This information is also on your election page on the Town website located at https://www.carefree.org/elections.

Please note the requirement for contact information on signs and maximum sign size. Town staff will remove signs in violation of Town Code Section 11-3-2 after 24 hours of the candidate being notified of the violation. Removed signs can be picked up from our Code Enforcement Officer at Carefree Town Hall.

A municipality can set forth Sign-Free Zones as authorized by Arizona Revised Statutes 16-1019(F). In the Sign-Free Zones, the State Law's limitations on local enforcement for campaign, political, and ballot signs do not apply.

Political Signs:

Political signs may be subject to disclosure requirements found in the Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 16, and

Political signs, following Title 16, may begin to be placed on May 13, 2024 (71 days prior to the election) and must be removed by August 7, 2024 (15 days following the election).*

*According to Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 16-1019H: Subsection C of this section applies only during the period commencing seventy-one days before a primary election and ending fifteen days after the general election, except that for a sign for a candidate in a primary election who does not advance to the general election. The period ends fifteen days after the primary election.

The Town of Carefree prohibits all signs located in a manner that interferes with pedestrian or vehicular travel or poses a hazard to pedestrians, equestrians, or vehicles. Please refer to the Town Code HERE to verify the areas that permit political signage. 

Section 11-3-2 Posting of Political Signs in the Town Rights-of-Way Permitted 

A. A political sign is allowed to be placed in the Town of Carefree public right-of-way if all the following conditions are met:

1.  The sign supports or opposes a candidate for public office or supports or opposes a ballot measure.

2. The sign shall be located in the public right-of-way only during the period commencing 60 71 days before a primary election and ending 15 days after the general election, except that, for a sign for a candidate in a primary election who does not advance to the general election, the period ends 15 days after the primary election. The person or political subdivision responsible for erecting the sign shall be liable for removal of the sign.

3. The sign shall not be placed in a location that is hazardous to public safety, obstructs clear vision in the area and/or interferes with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 United States Code sections 12101 through 12213 and 47 United States Code sections 225 and 611).

4. If the sign is located in an area zoned for residential use, the sign shall have a maximum area of 16 square feet. If the sign is located in any other area, the sign shall have a maximum area of 32 square feet.

5.  The sign shall contain the name and telephone number of the candidate and/or campaign committee contact person.

B. If the town deems that the placement of a political sign constitutes an emergency, it may immediately relocate the sign. The town shall notify the candidate or campaign committee that placed the sign within 24 hours after the relocation. If a sign is placed in violation of subsection A and the placement is not deemed to constitute an emergency, the town may notify the candidate or campaign committee that placed the sign of the violation. If the sign remains in violation at least 24 hours after the town notified the candidate or campaign committee, the town may remove the sign. The town shall contact the candidate or campaign committee contact and shall retain the sign for at least ten business days to allow the candidate or campaign committee to retrieve the sign without penalty.

C. A town employee acting within the scope of his/her employment is not liable for an injury caused by the failure to remove a sign pursuant to subsection B unless the employee intended to cause injury or was grossly negligent.

D. No sign is allowed on any structure owned by the town.

E.   Subsection A does not apply to rights-of-way located within the commercial tourism and commercial resort sign free zones listed below and established in Carefree Resolution 2012-01:

1.  Zone 1:

   1.          (a)   Tom Darlington Drive from the southern town limits to Cave Creek Road

   2.          (b)   Cave Creek Road from the western town limits to the eastern town limits

   3.          (c)   Cave Creek Road from Carefree Highway to the northern town limits

   4.          (d)   Pima Road from Stagecoach Pass to Cave Creek Road

   5.          (e)   Stagecoach Pass from Tom Darlington Drive to Mule Train Road

   6.          (f)   Mule Train Road from Stagecoach Pass to Carefree Drive

   7. (g)   Carefree Drive from Easy Street to Mule Train Road

   8. (h)   Tranquil Trail from Cave Creek Road to Carefree Drive

2. Zone 2: rights-of-way within the area bounded by and including Tom Darlington Drive, Cave Creek Road, and Bloody Basin Road.

Finally, it is also important to note that Campaign Finance requirements dictate that campaign signs and most materials shall contain the “Paid for by….” language. This requirement can be found in the Campaign Finance Guide, where you can view HERE.

Inquiries or complaints related to disclosure requirements on signs contained in Title 16 should be directed to the Code Enforcement Officer at (Dennis@Carefree.org) or Town Clerk at Kandace@Carefree.org.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation and understanding. Best of luck during this campaign season. If I can be of further assistance, please let me know.

Sincerely,

Kandace French Contreras