Arizona’s Largest County Warns of Mail-In Ballot Delays

With less than three weeks until the Nov. 3 midterm elections, officials in Arizona’s largest county have warned that some mail-in ballots sent out to voters haven’t yet been received, and advised people to contact the local election office.

Noting that it previously advised voters that the “recent operational changes at the U.S. Postal Service could result in delays in mail ballot delivery,” the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office said on Wednesday that 1.9 million ballots were sent to the USPS for distribution starting on Oct. 7.

The office said it received its first batch of returned mail-in ballots on Oct. 13.

“We remain in communication with USPS and will continue closely monitoring delivery progress,” the office said in a statement. “Voters who requested a mail ballot but have not received it by the end of this week are strongly encouraged to contact the Recorder’s Office to request a replacement ballot.”

Voters can also submit their ballots in person at polling locations throughout Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix.

“Our priority is ensuring every eligible voter receives their ballot and has the opportunity to cast their vote,” it added.

Elections in Maricopa County, which is crucial for deciding statewide races in Arizona, have not been without controversy in recent years. The Arizona state Senate in 2021 launched an audit of ballots that were cast amid allegations from President Donald Trump of significant voter fraud as well as irregularities across the country during the 2020 presidential election.

Trump earlier this month criticized Maricopa County officials after around 3,000 ballots were mistakenly mailed early to voters. The issue was blamed on a vendor error, the recorder’s office said.

The president was responding to a reporter’s question on Oct. 5 when he said Maricopa, the most populous county in the battleground state and home to Phoenix, should “be ashamed of themselves.”

“Now they’re saying it was an error,” Trump said. “Maricopa is a very, very dishonest county.”

In a statement released on social media, Maricopa County Recorder Justin Heap said a vendor, Runbeck Election Services, had informed the county that it erroneously mailed 3,126 early ballots to voters six days before the Oct. 7 date.

“The premature mailing was not authorized by the Recorder’s Office, which was notified only after it occurred,” the statement said. “Runbeck’s error affected only the timing of the mailing. The correct ballots were mailed to the correct voters.”

Heap and the Republican-controlled county board of supervisors had been entangled for months in a prolonged legal battle over how to jointly run elections. Heap and the board eventually reached a settlement in July.

With weeks to go, the midterm elections will determine whether Republicans or Democrats control either the House of Representatives, the Senate, or both. Republicans currently hold small majorities in both congressional chambers.

On Wednesday, Trump held an event in Bullhead City, Arizona, and rallied for Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), who is running for governor against incumbent Gov. Katie Hobbs, a Democrat.

The USPS did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.