In a recent government meeting, Pima County officials addressed significant concerns regarding the handling of early voting ballots, which have raised calls for an independent investigation. The discussions were prompted by issues highlighted in a report from the Tucson Sentinel, indicating that the recorder's office failed to inform the press about critical ballot-related problems, leading to public confusion and anxiety.

County Recorder officials explained that unexpected changes to election data, made by other county departments, were not communicated in a timely manner. This oversight resulted in delays in ballot printing, with only 90,000 ballots being processed at a time instead of the expected 400,000. The delays caused panic among voters, many of whom were already on the active early voting list but were unaware of their ballot status due to a manual processing system that was not integrated with the voter database.

The recorder's office noted that a surge in requests for ballots overwhelmed their online portal, which was ultimately closed to manage the situation more effectively. Officials stated that the decision to close the portal was made to ensure that voters could still request ballots via phone or in person, emphasizing that this action did not infringe on voters' rights.

Despite the challenges, the office reported a significant increase in early in-person voting, with 45,000 voters participating, a notable rise from previous election cycles. However, concerns remain about the 3,900 voters who were notified of issues with their ballot requests, prompting calls for a thorough investigation to clarify the circumstances and restore public confidence in the electoral process.

The board members expressed a strong desire for transparency and accountability, with some advocating for an independent investigation by the attorney general or a non-conflicted county attorney to address the apparent violations of Arizona election statutes. The recorder's office committed to improving their systems to prevent similar issues in future elections, including integrating their online portal with the voter database for better tracking and communication.