Yuma County voters want more ballot drop boxes

Mail-in ballots could potentially overwhelm post offices amid USPS funding and staff cuts.

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - COVID-19 posing a health risk for voters heading to polling centers, forcing us to vote by mail.

With that comes several concerns about election security.

This election cycle Americans witnessed ballots go uncounted in Wisconsin and Ohio due to the unfortunate combination of the lack in funding of the U.S. Postal Service and a shortage of postal workers since the pandemic.

Now, as the time comes closers for Yuma residents to cast their ballots for the primary election, some local voters are concerned about whether the post office can handle the increasing volume of mail-in ballots.

During Monday's Yuma County Board of Supervisors meeting, Chairman Tony Reyes praised county recorder Robin Pouquette, calling her a trailblazer for voting procedures and trusts her actions to protect the integrity of elections in Yuma County.

Reyes said, “I’m pretty confident that we’re not going to be an example throughout the nation of a busted election.”

The county has placed custom multi-lock designed ballot drop boxes around the cities of Yuma, Somerton, and San Luis as a secure alternative to mail-in ballots.

Pouquette said, “We felt that we have been able to manage those ballot boxes with security and manage them efficiently. “

But some residents say each city needs more than just two ballot drop boxes.

“It’s not just the acquisition of a dropbox, it's the sufficient staffing and monitoring and auditing coming out of that dropbox every single day,” Pouquette said.

In 2018 the county received a $154,000 emergency voting procedure grant.

Among the many uses for the money, cybersecurity has been a priority.

Pouquette did say the grant could be utilized for acquiring more ballot drop boxes, but the county is awaiting cares act funding from the senate to handle that need.