Pima County mail-in ballots lack privacy envelope

Voter concerned about personal information exposure

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

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A Pima County, Arizona voter received their mail-in ballot but found no white privacy envelope to return it in, only a yellow envelope with their signature, address, and phone number visible. The voter is concerned this lack of a privacy envelope will discourage many from voting, as the only ballot drop-off box is located in Sahuarita.

Why it matters

Maintaining voter privacy and access to the polls are critical components of a healthy democracy. This issue with the mail-in ballots in Pima County could undermine both, potentially disenfranchising voters who are uncomfortable with their personal information being exposed.

The details

The voter, Kim Smith, received their mail-in ballot for the upcoming election but found it only included the ballot itself and a yellow envelope to return it, without the typical white privacy envelope. This means that if voters follow the instructions and return the ballot in the yellow envelope, all of their personal information will be visible on the outside. Smith is concerned this will deter many from voting, as the only ballot drop-off box is located in the town of Sahuarita, which may be inconvenient for some.

  • Voter Kim Smith received their mail-in ballot on February 20, 2026.

The players

Kim Smith

A Pima County, Arizona voter who received a mail-in ballot without a privacy envelope.

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What they’re saying

“I think that they spent so much money on the thick booklet that they sent to every Pima County voter that they ran out of money to enclose the white privacy envelope. This is so annoying because to protect your privacy, you will have to drop this off in a voter drop-off box. I have a feeling that many people will not vote because of that.”

— Kim Smith (gvnews.com)

What’s next

The Pima County elections office has not yet commented on the missing privacy envelopes or plans to address voter concerns about privacy and access.

The takeaway

This issue with Pima County's mail-in ballots highlights the importance of maintaining voter privacy and ensuring equal access to the polls, as any barriers to either could undermine the integrity of the democratic process.