Tucson: Don't mail in that ballot; Drop it off instead

It's too late to mail back ballots in Tucson's primary election, but you can drop them off in person at one of several voting locations.

Tucson's city elections are "all mail-in," with each registered voter sent a ballot. Municipal elections are run by local city officials. Ballots were mailed beginning August 2. Those who wish to cast a ballot in person can do so at the city Election Center, 800 E. 12th St., from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday.

That site, and six others, will be open for in-person ballot drop-offs and voting on Election Day on Tuesday, August 27, from 6 a.m.-7 p.m.

The voting locations are:

• Tucson City Clerk's Office Elections Center, 800 E. 12th St.
• Department of Housing and Community Development, 320 N. Commerce Park Loop
• Morris K. Udall Regional Center, 7200 E. Tanque Verde Rd.
• Donna R. Liggins Recreation Center, 2160 N. 6th Ave.
• William Clements Recreation Center, 8155 E. Poinciana Dr.
• El Pueblo Senior Center, 101 W. Irvington Rd.
• Parks and Recreation Administration, Randolph Park, 900 S. Randolph Way

All ballots must be received by election officials by 7 p.m. Tuesday. Those who are in line by 7 p.m. that day will be allowed to cast a ballot.

The only contested races are in the Democratic mayoral primary, and the Democratic primary for the Ward 1 Council seat, on the West Side. There are uncontested Democratic and Republican primary races, with such a single candidate from each party, in Wards 2 and 4, on the East Side. There is a single registered write-in candidate for the GOP in Ward 1, and a Green Party write-in candidate for each office that's up for a vote. There are no Libertarian candidates running, nor are there any Republican mayoral candidates.

The winner of the Democratic primary between Randi Dorman, Steve Farley and Regina Romero will face independent Ed Ackerley in November, along with Green Party write-in candidate Mike Cease if he obtains enough votes in the primary.

Wards 3, 5 and 6 are not electing members of the Council this year; terms are staggered. Voters in those wards are only eligible to cast primary votes in the mayor's race this year. In the November election, voters across the city will cast ballots for mayor and all of the Council races.

Unlike the presidential preference election, the primary is open; "independent" non-party voters can select one of the partisan ballots to cast.

Only votes cast for candidates who qualified to be listed on the ballot, and registered write-in candidates, are counted.