Wednesday deadline to mail back Tucson primary ballots

A roundup of upcoming Tucson-area political events: Wednesday is the recommended deadline to send back early ballots in the city primary election; Upcoming Project Blue public meetings; Tucson City Council primary election and South Tucson recall coming up on Aug. 5; Sentinel team on the airwaves & more

Send your events for Tucson Sentinel’s political calendar to [email protected].

Election officials advise voters should mail their early Tucson City Council primary ballot or South Tucson recall election ballots by Wednesday to ensure they will arrive in time to be counted. Ballot must be in the possession of election officials by the time polls close on Election Day, 7 p.m. on Aug. 5. 

After Wednesday, voters should hand-deliver the ballot to an early-voting location or to a branch of the Pima County Recorder’s Office. (Details below.)

In Tucson, three seats are up for grabs in Wards 3, 5 and 6, with open seats in two of the races .

In
Ward 6, where appointed Councilmember Karin Uhlich is not seeking a
full term, three Democrats are running the primary: attorney Leighton
Rockafellow Jr,. community radio station KXCI operations manager Miranda
Schubert and retired science teacher Jim Sinex.

The winner will face Republican Jay Tolkoff in the Nov. 4 general election.

In
Ward 5, where appointed Councilmember Rocque Perez is not seeking a
full term, three Democrats are vying for their party’s nomination: Local
businessman Jesse Lugo, local businesswoman and consultant Selina
Barajas and Peace Corps administrator Chris Elsner.

No other
candidates have filed to run in the race, so barring a successful
write-in campaign, the winner of the primary will advance to the Tucson
City Council.

In the Ward 3 Democratic primary, incumbent
Councilmember Kevin Dahl is facing TUSD Boardmember Sadie Shaw as he
seeks a second term. The winner of the primary election will face
Republican Janet Wittenbraker in the Nov. 4 election.

Voters can request a ballot in person at City Clerk’s Election Center, 800 E. 12th St.,
through Aug. 4. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5
p.m.

Voters can also get a replacement ballot or drop off a completed ballot at the Election Center.

They can also drop off completed
ballots at the Pima County Recorder’s Office Downtown branch, 240 N.
Stone Ave.; the South Side branch, 6550 S. Country Club Rd.; or the East
Side branch, 6920 E. Broadway. Those offices are open from 8 a.m. to 5
p.m. Monday through Friday although the East Side branch is closed for
lunch from noon to 1 p.m.

Voters can also deliver their ballots
at any time through 7 p.m. on Aug. 5 to the Pima County Recorder’s
Office’s new ballot drop boxes outside the Downtown and East Side
offices.

In the South Tucson recall election, South Tucson Mayor Roxanna Valenzuela is facing write-in candidate Anita Romero, Councilmember Cesar Aguirre is facing write-in challenger Eduardo Baca and Councilmember Brian Flagg is facing write-in challenger Christopher Dodson.

Thursday, July 31: The city of Tucson will hold a virtual public meeting to discuss Project Blue, a proposed data center near the Pima County Fairgrounds. 5 to 7 p.m.online via Teams.

Friday, Aug. 1: Tucson Sentinel reporter Paul Ingram joins a panel of journalists on AZPM’s Press Room to discuss the
major news stories of the week. Steve Goldstein moderates. Program airs
at 8:30 a.m. on NPR affiliate KUAZ-FM, 89.1 FM and at 8:30 p.m. on PBS 6,
streams on the AZPM YouTube channel and can heard as a podcast here.

Ingram also joins
host Bill Buckmaster to interview Tucson Police Chief Chad Kasmar on the
Buckmaster show. Noon on KVOI, 1030 AM. Episodes stream at buckmastershow.com.

Monday, Aug. 4: The city of Tucson will hold a in-person public meeting to discuss Project Blue, a proposed data center near the Pima County Fairgrounds. 5 to 7 p.m. at the Tucson Convention Center’s Grand Ballroom, 260 S. Church Ave.

Tuesday, Aug. 5: Primary Election Day for Tucson City Council races, South Tucson city recall election.

In Tucson, voting centers will be open on Election Day in Wards
3, 5 and 6 where voters can get replacement ballots or drop off their
completed vote-by-mail ballots.

The Election Day vote centers will be open
from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Donna R. Liggins Recreation Center, 2160
N. 6th Ave.; the El Pueblo Senior Center, 101 W. Irvington Rd.; and the
Parks and Recreation Administration building, 900 S. Randolph Way.

In the South Tucson recall election, voters can cast ballots or drop off competed ballots at Sam Lena-South Tucson Library, 1607 S. 6th Ave, or at the Pima County Recorder’s Office downtown branch, 240 N. Stone Ave.

Friday, Aug. 8: Tucson Sentinel reporter Jim
Nintzel joins a panel of journalists on AZPM’s Press Room to discuss the
major news stories of the week. Steve Goldstein moderates. Program airs
at 8:30 a.m. on NPR affiliate KUAZ-FM, 89.1 FM, 8:30 p.m. on PBS 6,
streams on the AZPM YouTube channel and can heard as a podcast here.

Monday, Aug. 25: Last day to register to vote in the Congressional District 7 special election.

Wednesday, Aug. 27: Early voting begins for CD7 special general election

Wednesday, Aug. 27: Tucson Sentinel reporter Jim Nintzel guest hosts the Buckmaster show. Noon on KVOI, 1030 AM. Episodes stream at buckmastershow.com.

Tuesday, Sept. 23: General Election Day for CD7 special election

Tuesday, Nov. 4: General Election Day for Tucson City Council races