Vote-by-mail ballots being requested at record rates | News

Voters in Pima County are requesting ballots at record numbers.  Early voting for the August primary has already begun, with the highest number of early ballots being mailed out so soon before the election.  The highest number of early ballots that has been mailed in an election was 158,817, set during the 2010 August primary election during an 18 day cycle.

The first day of early voting for the primary begins tomorrow, and according to the County Recorder’s office over 216,600 Pima County voters have requested vote-by-mail ballots for the election.  Thursday will mark the first mailing day for these ballots.  This new record exceeds the old one by more than 57,000 ballots and it is just the first day of voting.

“The trend of high voter participation in early voting has been increasing for many years but has sharply increased for the 2012 elections,” said F. Ann Rodriguez, the Pima County Recorder.

Before this election the highest percentage of voter turnout from early voters, compared to all ballots cast in an election was in November 2010 during the General Election, when some 63.3 percent turned out. 

Here are a few numbers on casting early votes:

• 72.3 percent during the February 28, 2012 – Presidential Preference Election
• 79.9 percent during the April 17, 2012 Special Congressional District 8 Primary Election
• 76.3 percent during the June 12, 2012 Special Congressional District 8 General Election.

Due to the increase in vote-by-mail ballots the Recorders Office is anticipating that three out of every four voters participating in the election will be doing so from the comfort of their own homes, as opposed to voting at a polling place possibly far from their home.

“The increased participation in early voting is credited to both the Permanent Early Voting List as well as increased voter interest in determining who their elected representatives should be,” said Rogriquez. “With the large number of contested races in this Primary Election, we anticipate a much higher level of voter participation in the Primary Election than in prior years.”

Don’t worry if you haven’t requested your vote-by-mail ballot – voters have until 5 p.m. on August 17 to request one.  You can make the request at the following website: www.recorder.pima.gov or by calling the Pima County Recorder’s Office Voter Registration office at 724-4330.

Voters can even track the status of their vote-by-mail ballot on the above website as well, just select the ‘Early Ballot Status’ choice on the main page of the site and enter the required information.