Early Voting Kicks Off for Southern AZ CD7 Special Election

Early voting commenced on Wednesday, June 18, for the Congressional District 7 primary election scheduled for July 15. This election follows the recent passing of U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva, who died in March after a battle with lung cancer.

Five candidates are vying for the Democratic nomination, including Grijalva’s daughter, Adelita Grijalva, former state lawmaker Daniel Hernandez, Gen-Z influencer Deja Foxx, retired businessman Patrick Harris Sr., and University of Arizona doctoral student Jose Malvido Jr. Three candidates are competing in the Republican primary: business owner Daniel Butierez, restaurant owner Jorge Rivas, and Jimmy Rodriguez, who runs an off-road vehicle company.

The Pima County Recorder’s Office announced it would mail over 129,000 ballots on Wednesday, according to spokesperson Mike Truelsen. Three early voting sites opened the same day, including locations at the Pima County Recorder’s Office Downtown, the South Side branch at 6550 S. Country Club Rd., and Palo Verde High School’s ATC Room at 1302 S. Avenida Vega. All sites will be operational from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This year brings significant changes for mail-in voters. They will no longer have to send their ballots in a separate signed envelope. Instead, ballots can be returned in the same envelope featuring the voter’s signature, which election officials will verify against county records. This adjustment is anticipated to streamline the ballot counting process for county officials.

Voters wishing to request an early ballot can do so by contacting 520-724-4330 or by visiting the Pima County Recorder’s Office website before the July 7 deadline. Additionally, the office has launched an online dashboard that enables residents to check their voter records, including ballot status and registration information.

To ensure that ballots are counted, they must be received by the Pima County Recorder’s Office by 7 p.m. on July 15. Voters are advised to mail their ballots by July 8. After this date, completed ballots can be dropped off from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at various locations, including the Recorder’s Office branches.

This election also introduces two 24-hour monitored drop boxes, equipped with fire-suppression systems, to secure voters’ ballots. These boxes will be located outside the Recorder’s Downtown branch and East Side office.

In preparation for the election, 58 vote centers will be established across Pima County’s portion of CD 7, as stated by Elections Director Constance Hargrove. The district demonstrates a notable Democratic voter registration advantage, with 40% registered as Democrats compared to 21% registered Republicans.

For further details about voting procedures in Pima County, visit Pima.Vote.