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TUCSON, Ariz. – (KVOA) The Pima County’s Recorder Office shut down the link to request an early ballot in the general election days before the deadline.
Six days before the early ballot request deadline,
the recorder’s office shut down the link because it said it was overwhelmed with requests, in the thousands.
Just days before the deadline.
“In a statement Wednesday afternoon, the recorder’s office said quote:
“Due to an overwhelming number of early ballot requests, many of which were duplicates from voters already receiving an Active Early Voting List (AVEL) ballot, the Pima County Recorder’s Office made the decision to close the online ballot request form and directly contact voters.
About 4,000 voters were alerted of this issue and encouraged to call the recorder’s office to resolve their online requests.
Voters who were unable to contact the office or who have not yet received a ballot are still eligible to vote in-person at an Early Voting or Emergency Voting site, or an Election Day Vote Center.
Voters must present appropriate ID and ballots must be voted on-site.
Voters may use the in-person voting options regardless of whether they have a ballot in hand or if they’re expecting a mail ballot to arrive. Only one ballot per voter will be accepted.
The Pima County Recorder’s Office recognizes the burden and disappointment this may have caused during a stressful election cycle. We are already designing a solution to our online ballot request portal to avoid this situation in future elections.”
Late Wednesday afternoon, District 17 State Senator Justine Wadsack issued a statement. saying in part:
“I was truly shocked to learn our county recorder’s office had done this. these actions are absolutely unacceptable, undermine the integrity of our elections, and raise serious questions regarding voter suppression.”
Wadsack sent a letter to Pima County Recorder Gabriella Cazares-Kelly wanting answers.
One of the voters who made an early ballot request is former Democratic state lawmaker Ted Downing. Downing is now an Independent.
Downing was the founding chair of the Democratic Election Integrity Committee.
After trying to obtain an early ballot through the portal and failing, Downing tells News 4 Tucson finally got his early ballot by directly calling the recorder’s office.
But, he’s disappointed by what happened and he worries that this could put Pima County in the national spotlight next week for the wrong reasons.
“Pima County is the bread basket of Democratic votes,” Downing said. “If the turnout in Pima County is subpar as a result of this glitch, the recorder can share credit for the loss. if Harris wins, the Republicans can point out these irregularities. Either way we lose. This should not happen.”
Downing argues regardless of political party, this is a bad look.
“It is not good for Pima County, it’s not good for the election and this is why excellence is so important, he said. “I don’t care what your party, be good. I don’t think Arizona wants to be known as the Boeing of election integrity.”
