Pinal County's initial batch of election results from the July 30 Primary Election are in, and they're serving up a snapshot of this year's voter turnouts and preferences. The early numbers, which were released, feature counts from the 48,216 Early Ballots that were returned, accepted, and have already been counted prior to the actual Election Day. These stats are available for anyone interested in the political pulse of Pinal County and can be viewed on the County's Official website.
As for the ballots cast on the day of the election itself, well, there's still some work to do. A total of 15,212 ballots were collected from the polls today – these are being tabulated as they make their journey to the Pinal VOTES building from various Polling Places scattered throughout the county. These additional results are expected to be released later this evening, which should provide a more complete, though still unofficial, view of the electoral landscape. The County’s website has promised to keep the public in the loop with updated figures as they're crunched and cleared.
But that's not the end of it. Starting today, the county will begin the process of signature verification for Early Ballots received or dropped at ballot drop boxes since Saturday, or at a Polling Place on Election Day. This step is crucial to ensure each vote is legitimate and is accounted for in the final tally. Voters can track the status of their Early Ballot at My.Arizona.Vote to ensure their voice is reflected in the results.
The results, as they stand, are not to be considered final. There's a formal procedure that must unfold before any numbers are officially set in stone. It's a waiting game until the Board of Supervisors conducts its canvass of the results, a process scheduled for August 12, at precisely 1 p.m., when the figures that have been so diligently gathered, verified, and tabulated will be stamped with the seal of officiality. So, for those keeping score or just keeping informed, mark your calendars – and keep an eye on Pinal County's next electoral update.
