High turnout here results in many ‘late early ballots’

In Yuma County, and throughout the state, ballots cast in the Tuesday midterm election will be tabulated all through this week and into the next, after a high turnout produced thousands of “late early ballots.”

County spokesman Kevin Tunell said Wednesday there are an estimated 5,200 late early ballots to be counted, along with 844 provisional ballots.

The county recorder’s office was scheduled to complete verification of late early ballots Wednesday and send them to the Yuma County Election Board, which will count them today and Friday.

Tunell said he is not certain when the tabulation of those will be completed, given that unforeseen circumstances could interfere.

Ballots with write-in votes were also being sep-

arated from the rest on Wednesday so they could be tabulated, another task expected to begin today.

Counting of provisional ballots is expected to begin next week, Tunell said. Those who voted with one of these on Tuesday must provide the required additional documentation to the recorder’s office by Wednesday.

When the late-early estimate and number of provisional ballots are added to the Election Day totals, total voter turnout rises to just under 50 percent, matching County Recorder Robyn Stallworth-Pouquette’s Tuesday night prediction.

The City of Yuma’s Proposition 411, which would create a half-cent sales tax dedicated to road maintenance, was still lagging by 698 votes Wednesday. “No” votes have been in the lead since the first results were released Tuesday.

For the Wellton Town Council election, the leaders for the three available seats are Kenneth Baughman with 296 votes, Cecelia McCollough with 267 votes and Scott Blitz with 241.