City of Yuma voters asked to prepare for Special Election

The deadline to register to vote is Tuesday, October 10

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - The City of Yuma voters are being asked to prepare for the upcoming all-mail election on November 7.

Voters are asked to consider the following changes to the Yuma City Charter, as proposed by the volunteer 2020 Charter Review Committee:

• Proposition 419: Amend Article VI, Section 3c – Designating the City Attorney to serve at the pleasure of the Mayor and Council rather than the City Administrator.
• Proposition 420: Amend Article VI, Section 14a – Changing the Mayor’s compensation to 60% of the compensation provided to the Yuma County Board of Supervisors and each Councilmember’s compensation equal to 30% of the compensation provided to the Yuma County Board of Supervisors.
• Proposition 421: Amend Article VIII, Section 2 – Providing City Council discretion to pay up to six month’s salary as severance for a City Administrator (the Charter currently limits this amount to two months).

The City of Yuma said the election will entirely use ballots received through the mail, and they explain why.

“The council put forth the charter amendments, that the charter committee passed on to them. At that time it looked like city, this election was going to be only election taking place in the area and so City of Yuma was looking to reduce the cost to taxpayers for putting this election on and mail ballot is one way to do that" said Dave Nash, City of Yuma Public Affairs Coordinator

He also mentioned that about 72% of votes casted are mailed in in regular elections.

To register, make sure to have your address and phone number correct and register online at servicearizona.com or contact the Yuma County Recorder’s Office at 928-373-6034.

The City of Yuma said active registered voters in the Yuma city limits will receive their ballot in the mail.

Ballots will be mailed starting Wednesday, October 11, including a voter affidavit and self-addressed, postage-paid return envelope.

According to the City of Yuma, voters need to return their ballots either by mail or drop them off at one of three designated drop-off boxes so the ballots are received by Nov. 7.

Here are the three locations to drop off ballots:

• Yuma County Recorder’s Office, 102 S. Main St. (Drop-box available 24 hours daily).
• Yuma Police Department Araby Substation, 6390 E. 26^th St. (Drop-box available between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays).
• Yuma County Main Library, 2951 S. 21^st Drive (Drop-box available 24 hours daily).

There will be no polling centers operational on election day, said the City of Yuma.

It is recommended to mail completed ballots through the Postal Service on Tuesday, October 24.

The City of Yuma said residents won't need to request an early ballot unless they're out of town from October 11 through November 7.

If so, residents will need to contact the Yuma County Recorder’s Office, since election material cannot be forwarded.

The Yuma County Recorder’s Office will be available to assist with replacing lost, spoiled, destroyed or not-received ballots, said the City of Yuma.

The Replacement Ballot Center will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays starting Monday, October 16, and on election day from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

For questions about the issues on the ballot, contact the Yuma City Clerk’s Office on the first floor of City Hall, 1 City Plaza, or find out more at the City website, or by phone at 928-373-5035.