PINAL COUNTY, Ariz. — The Pinal County Board of Supervisors announced Tuesday they have approved a solution to the errors found on early voting ballots that left city and town contests off of the ballots in seven Pinal County Municipalities:
- Apache Junction
- Casa Grande
- Eloy
- Mammoth
- Maricopa
- Queen Creek
- Superior
Up to 63,000 early ballots - more than half of all ballots mailed out - either list the wrong municipal elections for the voter’s jurisdiction or they’re missing the municipal races entirely, according to county spokesman James Daniels.
Two distinct groups of Pinal County voters are affected.
- 46,000 voters who live within city or town limits in these seven municipalities: Apache Junction (Pinal County portion), Casa Grande, Eloy, Maricopa, Mammoth, Queen Creek (Pinal County portion), and Superior.
-Their ballots don't show city and town contests, or local elections like bond overrides. Voters in the seven municipalities can still use the original ballot for federal, state, legislative, and county contests.
- 17,000 voters outside of city and town limits mistakenly received city and town contests on their ballots. They can fill out the federal, state, legislative and county contests on their ballots. Any votes cast in city and town elections won't be counted.
Officials say elections on the ballot for federal, statewide, legislative and county offices aren’t affected.
The county blames “human errors” for the mistakes.
County officials say voters who had requested an early ballot in the above cities and towns will now be sent a Municipal Only ballot, which they will need to complete and return if they wish to vote in their city or town election.
Early voters should complete and return their original early voting ballot for Federal, State, Legislative, and County races if they wish to vote in these contests.
In addition, any voter who has already voted or has returned their early voting ballot will also need to complete the Municipal Only ballot in order to vote in city and town contests, officials said.
Municipal contests on the original ballots in the seven impacted cities and towns will be invalid and will not be counted. Your votes in Federal, State, Legislative, and County contests will be processed as normal.
Officials say there will be in-person voting at polling sites on Election Day for Municipal contests in the seven impacted cities and towns. These will be voted on a separate ballot for Federal, State, Legislative, and County contests.
If you live in Unincorporated Pinal County and see a city or town contest on your ballot, you can complete Federal, State, Legislative and County contests on your ballot and return it as normal. The city/town contests on your ballot will be invalid and not be counted if voted.
Officials say Maricopa County voters in Apache Junction and Queen Creek are not affected. All other cities and towns are not impacted, and voters should continue to vote as normal.
Elections Director David Frisk addressed the Board of Supervisors and explained that he took full responsibility, that errors were human in nature, and had nothing to do with the statewide voter registration database, referred to as AVID, or any other equipment.
To watch the board meeting, visit the County's YouTube page.
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