Pima County Officials Face Backlash for Rejecting Thousands of Early-Ballot Requests

By Matthew Holloway |

Pima County is embroiled in election controversy following the abrupt shutdown of the online vote-by-mail ballot request portal managed by Recorder Gabriella Cázares-Kelly. This decision, announced on October 19, occurred just a week prior to the crucial October 25 deadline and was attributed to an overwhelming number of requests from voters.

In light of the portal being disabled, the county provided an alternative by directing voters to call the office directly to secure their mail-in ballots, as reported by the Tucson Sentinel.

Arizona Senator Justine Wadsack has initiated an investigation into these actions, citing potential violations that could have impacted thousands of voters in Southern Arizona. “I was truly shocked to learn our County Recorder’s Office had done this,” she stated, expressing concerns regarding the integrity of the electoral process.

Wadsack’s letter to the Recorder outlined specific Arizona laws allegedly violated by the office, emphasizing the requirement for prompt processing of ballot requests. She indicated that the actions taken by the Recorder’s office not only led to confusion but also raised serious voter suppression concerns.

Similarly, Arizona Representatives Rachel Jones and Cory McGarr have submitted inquiries regarding the confusion surrounding undeliverable ballots and notifications sent by the Recorder’s office. These notifications reportedly misled voters into thinking their ballots had been received when they had not, further complicating the voting process.

In an effort to mitigate the fallout, Cázares-Kelly’s office informed approximately 4,000 voters via mass email that their mail-in ballot requests had been canceled, urging them to call for re-submission. Chief Deputy Marion Chubon explained that although the office intended to meet legal obligations, the volume of requests forced an unprecedented response. She defended the decision not to inform the media, stating, “We just didn’t think it was a story.”

In a frantic response to the shutdown, the office reported fielding over 3,000 phone calls just two days after the portal was disabled. Despite processing a significant number of new requests, doubts linger about whether every affected voter received an adequate response.

“We can’t guarantee that every single person called us to get a ballot,” Chubon remarked, underscoring the challenges faced. The office has been operating with extended hours, aiming to fulfill requests and ensure voter access, although not without criticism regarding their communication and operational choices.

As the investigation unfolds, questions continue to surround the management of the voting process in Pima County and the implications for voter engagement in the upcoming elections.

Matthew Holloway is a reporter for AZ Free News.