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For the next 17 days, Arizona voters will be going to the polls — although for many, that means traveling only as far as the mailbox in front of their homes.

Early voting for this year's primary election started more than two weeks ago, and before the votes are counted it's anticipated that as many as 60 percent of those who participate will have filled out their ballots before the official Sept. 2 Election Day.

Come November, voters will be selecting a president and filling a long list of federal, state and local offices.

But for the primary, Southern Arizona voters' choices are relatively limited, with just 15 contested races split between the Democrats and Republicans and scattered across the valley. So don't expect to see too many names on the ballot.

The Democrats and Republicans both have contested primaries for three available Arizona Corporation Commission seats.

Beyond those two statewide races, there are just six contested Southern Arizona legislative races, three PIma County supervisors races, two constable jobs, a justice of the peace and a Republican contest in Congressional District 7.

Today's Arizona Daily Star primary election guide is geared toward familiarizing voters with those candidates and their positions on a few key issues.

For a more complete look at the candidates, their more complete biographies and more detailed positions on a broader range of issues can be found at www.azstarnet.com/special/ 08candidates.

Although only the Democrats and Republicans have contested primary races, Arizona's open-primary law allows anyone who is registered to vote to cast a ballot.

Those are registered with no party preference or with a non-recognized party can select a Democratic or Republican ballot. Recognized parties are Democrat, Republican, Green and Libertarian.

This year's election is expected to see a continuation of the trend toward voting early — 34 percent of Pima County voters did it in 2000, 47 percent in 2004 and 54 percent in 2006, according to the Division of Elections.

The number is expected to go up in part because this is the first election in which Pima County voters could sign up to automatically receive an early ballot without making a special request.

If you didn't sign up to automatically receive an early ballot, you still have until Friday to request one for this primary. To get an early ballot, go to www.recorder.pima.gov, the Pima County recorder's Web site, and click on "early ballot request." Or call 740-4330.

Or you can vote early at any of the 10 early-voting locations set up around the county. They're open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, and most are open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. For locations and to find out which are open Saturdays, check with the recorder at the Web address or phone number listed above.

If you aren't registered to vote, it's too late for the primary, but you still have until Oct. 6 to sign up for November's general election.

And if you forget to request an early ballot, or you just prefer to do things the traditional way, you can always go to the polls, which will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sept. 2.

Polling locations are available by phone or through the recorder's Web site.

A person who votes at the polls is required to show one government-issued photo ID or two other forms of identification that include the voter's name and the address at which he or she is registered to vote.