Early voting for Yuma County begins today

Voting for the Nov. 6 general election has begun in Yuma County and throughout Arizona, with early ballots mailed out starting Wednesday.

County Recorder Robyn Stallworth Pocquette said 57,735 early ballots have been requested for the election, so far. The majority were sent out on Wednesday, with the rest hitting the mailbox on Thursday and Friday.

Registered voters who are not on the permanent early voter list have until Oct. 26 to request a ballot be mailed to them, either through www.yumacountyaz.gov/ballotrequest, by visiting the Yuma County Recorder’s Office at 197 S. Main Street, Yuma, or by calling the office at (928) 373-6034.

The ballots can be returned by sending the envelope back to the county (it must be postmarked Nov. 6 or earlier), or by dropping it off at the recorder’s office through Election Day or at one of the county’s eight vote centers on the day of the election.

Pocquette said early voters are strongly encouraged to send their ballots in by Oct. 30, or after that drop them off at the ballot box in front of the recorder’s office rather than the vote centers, so they can be counted in time to be included in election night results.

Voters can also cast a ballot in person at the Yuma County Recorder’s Office, 197 S. Main St., Yuma, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays through Nov. 2, as well as the weekend before the election on a limited basis.

In the Aug. 27 primary election, about 66 percent of participating voters mailed their ballots in. Another 17 percent dropped off early ballots at one of the eight vote centers, versus 16 percent who cast their ballots at one of the centers.