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Pascua Yaqui Press Release

The Pascua Yaqui tribe requested an early voting site on their tribal lands. However, Pima County Recorder F. Ann Rodriguez had previously informed the tribe in 2018 that there would be no early voting site for the 2020 election. Rodriguez offered recommendations to the tribe such as checking voter registrations of tribal members and providing transportation to existing early voting sites, but the tribe declined these offers. Rodriguez stated that it is too late in the election year to make changes to provide a secure voting site on the tribe's lands.

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867 views2 pages

Pascua Yaqui Press Release

The Pascua Yaqui tribe requested an early voting site on their tribal lands. However, Pima County Recorder F. Ann Rodriguez had previously informed the tribe in 2018 that there would be no early voting site for the 2020 election. Rodriguez offered recommendations to the tribe such as checking voter registrations of tribal members and providing transportation to existing early voting sites, but the tribe declined these offers. Rodriguez stated that it is too late in the election year to make changes to provide a secure voting site on the tribe's lands.

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Joshua Morales
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Honorable F.

Ann Rodriguez
Pima County Recorder
240 N. Stone Ave., First Floor
Tucson, AZ 85701
PHN: (520) 724-4330 FAX: (520) 623-1785 WEB: http//www.recorder.pima.gov

PRESS RELEASE
DATE: September 1, 2020
CONTACT: Mary Reynolds
Media Inquiries to (520) 724-4353
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Recorder Statement on Pascua Yaqui
Request for Early Voting Site

The Pascua Yaqui tribe presented concerns about an early voting site on tribal lands today at the
Board of Supervisors meeting. Recorder F. Ann Rodriguez has the following response:

Pima County Recorder F. Ann Rodriguez presented before the Pascua Yaqui Tribe in 2018, at one of
their council meetings to advise them as to why there was no Early Voting Site, and that this would also
be the plan for the 2020 Election. Ms. Rodriguez had two public hearings on this matter before the Board
of Supervisors who do not approve Early Voting Sites. The Board of Supervisors approves Emergency
Voting Sites and ballot drop off locations only. The Recorder is responsible for deciding where Early
Voting Sites will be located.
Ms. Rodriguez offered some recommendations which the Pascua Yaqui leadership have not
considered at this time.
1. The Pima County Recorder has no record of who is a member of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe – some
live in metropolitan Tucson, unincorporated Pima County, Old Pascua in the Grant and Oracle
area as well as in Yoeme Pueblo (Rillito) in Marana. They also have members who live in
Maricopa County. Without the means to identify tribal members, the Recorder’s Office is unable
to target tribal voters and encourage voter participation.
2. Pascua Yaqui Tribe enrollment is proprietary information.
3. Due to the proprietary nature of the Pascua Yaqui registration data and the security issues of the
voter database, The Recorder offered internal access to Pascua Yaqui staff. They could check voter
registration for each member of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe. Pascua Yaqui leadership declined this
offer.
4. If the tribal leadership had accepted the offer to check registrations, they could have sent mailers
to those not registered to vote and encourage them to register to vote. The Recorder’s office would
provide the voter registration forms that would be mailed back to the Recorder with postage
paid. If they wanted the Recorder to keep track of any response, the Recorder’s office could have
done this also.
5. There is still time to check voter registration as described above, as the voter registration cut off
to be eligible for the General Election is not until Monday, October 5.
Pascua Yaqui Statement-- Press Release
September 1, 2020
Page 2

6. There are multiple voting opportunities for all voters in Pima County. Early Voting sites, mailed
ballots as well as Election Day polling places are all options from October 7 through November 3,
2020.
7. The Mission Library is 7 miles away for the Pascua Yaqui Tribe main area, also known as New
Pascua. The Mission Library also serves the Tohono O’odham San Xavier District which is 7
miles away. There is an early voting site serving the Tohono O’odham Nation in Sells. The T.O.
Nation encompasses a large geographic area, so some voters must drive 63 miles (over one hour)
to reach that site.
8. Regarding bus routes and timetables for the Pascua Yaqui: The Recorder’s office has no control
over any bus system for any jurisdiction. Instead of requiring Pascua Yaqui voters to take the bus,
Pascua Yaqui leadership could provide transpiration for their membership by setting up a
telephone number for ride requests to Mission Library Early Voting Site. This would be similar
to Uber, but the Pascua Yaqui would provide and pay for the service.
9. The Recorder’s office will produce radio spots for the Pascua Yaqui radio station about the voter
registration deadline on October 5, 2020. The Recorder’s office will post flyers or provide the
flyers for Pascua Yaqui staff to post about the voter registration deadline.
10. The Recorder’s office will produce radio spots for the Pascua Yaqui radio station about the Mission
Road Library Early Voting Site. The Recorder’s office will post flyers or provide the flyers for
Pascua Yaqui staff to post about the Mission Library Early Voting Site including dates the site will
be open for curbside drop-off of early ballots, early voting and emergency voting.
11. For tribal members who live in Old Pascua (Oracle/Grant area), the closest Early Voting Site is
the Woods Library on First Avenue (3 miles), for Yoeme Pueblo in Marana, the closest Early
Voting Site is the Wheeler Taft Abbett Library (12 miles).
12. At every Early Voting Site, security is the most important issue, including but not limited to secure
ballot storage, location security, and secure IT infrastructure. Pima County Recorder F. Ann
Rodriguez and her leadership team carefully consider many possible locations for Early Voting
Sites before selecting the ones that meet strict criteria.
13. It is too late in the election year to make changes and be able to provide a secure voting site.

The Recorder’s Office is proud of the outreach efforts that have contributed to some of the highest
voter registration and voter participation numbers in the United States of America. During her 28 years
of public service, Recorder Rodriguez has made it a priority to collaborate with all voter communities and
vulnerable populations.
Regarding staffing issues, the Recorder’s Office is currently recruiting staff for paid temporary
positions at the Ballot Processing Center on Country Club and at Early Voting Sites. For people who
would like to see democracy in action and want to find out more about this opportunity, please email
[email protected] .

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