Higher than usual voter turnout for Yuma County during General Election

Of all registered voters throughout Yuma County, more than 50 percent turned out to vote in this year’s midterm election, a staggering increase from previous midterms. The county recorder’s office thinks early ballot voters and voting centers played a key role in getting more people out to vote.

There are currently 87,457 registered voters in Yuma County of them 44,362 voted during last month’s general election leaving voter turnout at 50.72 percent according to the latest numbers released from the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office Monday.

The Yuma County Recorder’s office said it sent out 61,000 early mail-in ballots and that 9,000 registered voters used voting centers during the midterm election last month.

“The public is more aware of that process now that they don’t have to go to an assigned place. I think all of those factors play into the increase in participation,” Said Robyn Stallworth Pouquette, Yuma County Recorder.

The previous midterm in 2014 had a voter turnout of only 34 percent in Yuma County.

Preparing for future elections, the County Recorder’s office wants voters to understand the full process for each ballot that is sent in by mail. Each ballot has to go through a verification process Stallworth Pouquette said.

The County Recorder’s office is looking into voter education opportunities for future election cycles to let voters understand the process from start to finish.

“It is very long and somewhat complex to voters, if we could break it down and let voters know how things can run more efficiently, I think we would have the support of the voters that are wanting to participate and wanting to know how the process works,” Stallworth Pouquette said.