Coyotes to open Gila River Arena as voting location for upcoming election
Sep 4, 2020, 10:38 AM
General view outside of Gila River Arena before the NHL game between the Arizona Coyotes and the Detroit Red Wings on October 12, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The Arizona Coyotes are utilizing Gila River Arena as a voting location for the upcoming election.
The Coyotes and the city of Glendale have joined forces with the Maricopa Elections Department to open the arena as a voting center for the 2020 general election.
“The Coyotes are proud to partner with the City of Glendale and the Maricopa County Elections Department to make Gila River Arena available as a voting center for the Presidential Election,” Coyotes president and CEO Xavier Gutierrez said in a press release Friday.
“Voting is our civic duty and with the ongoing pandemic, we want to do everything we can to create a safe and secure environment for Valley residents to exercise their right to vote. We encourage all voters to visit Gila River Arena this fall to make their voices heard.”
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The location will be open from Oct. 28 through Nov. 3, with free parking for Maricopa County voters.
The arena will also be an early ballot drop off location for voters.
Physical distancing and safety protocols in alignment with CDC guidelines in collaboration with the Maricopa County Department of Public Health will be in effect, the team said.
“I am proud of the tremendous impact the partnership between the Arizona Coyotes and the City of Glendale continues to have in the community,” Glendale mayor Jerry Weiers said in the release. “Opening Gila River Arena as a voting location for the upcoming general election just makes sense.
“It’s easy to access since it’s just off the Loop 101, has plenty of free parking and affords voters a location that is safe and can ensure physical distancing guidelines are followed.”
The Coyotes are the latest team in the Valley to open up an arena for voting purposes.
A task force back by the Phoenix Suns and Mercury and featuring members of the Suns organization announced Wednesday it secured the Madhouse on McDowell as a voting center and early voting ballot drop location for the upcoming elections.
