Wednesday deadline to mail back ballots in Tucson's Prop. 412 special election

Wednesday is the suggested deadline for voters to return ballots by mail in Tucson's special election to approve or refuse a new franchise agreement with Tucson Electric Power.

289,770 ballots in the all-mail election were sent out last month, addressed to each registered voter in the city. Just more than 44,500 had been returned as of Monday. Election Day is next Tuesday, May 16.

If you don't send back your ballot in the mail by Wednesday, you can drop it off in person at the City Clerk's Election Center, the Pima County Recorder's Office, or on Tuesday at one of the voting locations set up in each ward.

Voting locations

(All sites open 6 a.m.-7 p.m. on Election Day.)

• City Clerk's Election Center — 800 E. 12th St., Mon-Fri, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Pima County Recorder's Office, Downtown — 240 N. Stone Ave., Mon-Fri, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Pima County Recorder, Elections Dep't — 6550 S. Country Club Rd., Mon-Fri, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Department of Housing and Community Development — 310 N. Commerce Park Loop, Tuesday, 6 a.m.-7 p.m.
• Morris K. Udall Regional Center — 7200 E. Tanque Verde Rd., Tuesday, 6 a.m.-7 p.m.
• Donna R. Liggins Recreation Center — 2160 N. 6th Ave., Tuesday, 6 a.m.-7 p.m.
• William Clements Recreation Center — 8155 E. Poinciana Dr., Tuesday, 6 a.m.-7 p.m.
• El Pueblo Senior Center — 101 E. Irvington Rd., Tuesday, 6 a.m.-7 p.m.
• Parks and Recreation Administration, Randolph Park — 900 S. Randolph Way, Tuesday, 6 a.m.-7 p.m.

The single issue on the ballot in the spring special election is a renewal of an agreement granting access privileges to TEP inside the city limits.

Voters will determine is the franchise agreement will be extended for another 25 years, including an existing 2.25% fee on monthly electric bills for TEP customers within the city, and a new 0.75% "community resilience fee."

The agreement only applies inside the Tucson city limits, and only registered voters in the city can cast ballots in the election.

If Prop. 412 is approved by voters, the additional revenue would be used to put some new power lines underground, and pay for some activities under the city's Climate Action Plan.

The new fees will cost about $1 per month for residential customers, and about $2.65 monthly for small businesses, city and TEP representatives projected.

The city of Tucson conducts elections by mail, with a limited number of drop-off locations open on Election Day.