Yuma County Board opposes proposed constitutional election amendment citing large unfunded costs

The Yuma County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on April 6 to oppose HCR2001/SCR1001 as written, citing operational and hardware costs the county would have to absorb if the constitutional amendment were adopted.

County staff told the Board that the measure bundles multiple election changes—including voter identification adjustments, limitations on early voting, and requirements for on‑site early ballot tabulators at vote centers—that would require new equipment, expanded operational procedures, and separate early ballot boards for each vote center. Deputy County Administrator Robyn Stallworth Pouquette said each tabulator is estimated at roughly $50,000–$55,000 and that Yuma County would need a minimum of nine units plus backups, producing an estimated county price tag near $600,000 with no state funding attached.

Supervisor Jonathan W. Lines, who sponsored the motion with Supervisor Lynne Pancrazi, said rural counties should not be left to absorb mandated equipment costs. After discussion on policy and cost allocation, the Board (Lines/Pancrazi) voted 5‑0 to oppose the measure in its current form.

Why it matters: The Board’s opposition signals concern about unfunded state mandates that would impose significant costs and operational changes on local election administrators. The county emphasized support for election integrity measures in principle but opposed bundling multiple technical and procedural changes into a single constitutional amendment without funding assistance.

What’s next: The vote is a formal local policy position; the Board instructed staff to continue monitoring the measure and any legislative or constitutional action at the state level.