The Sunnyside Recall Election is naturally contentious, but even more questions and concerns have been raised over the election process.
Richard Hernandez, the Chairman of the Sunnyside Recall Committee explained, “For all of you who don’t know Pima County has decided that it is appropriate to have two monitors at two locations, but not the third location. So a simple question is why? If we are able to have them at two locations, why not all three locations?”
Prior to yesterday’s press conference, the Sunnyside Recall Committee along with others, made enough noise to change the ballot counting process. Hernandez continued, “We were able to convince them that all ballots be counted only on Election Day. It will begin at 1 p.m. The integrity of the vote is what we are talking about. We are talking about every single voter at Sunnyside, their vote counts.”
Louie Gonzales, one of the Sunnyside members being recalled has other concerns with the recall process. He believes that the mail in ballot process is incredibly unfair to those who are accustomed to going to their normal voting location on Election Day. Gonzales tells the ADI, “I don’t like mail in ballots too easy to tamper with… We asked that the election be done by polls. A very democratic system and they said no. So I felt well okay if it was 10 thousand more or 5 thousand it would have been the best way to do it.”
When asked about his thoughts on the recall election Gonzales tells the ADI, “You know I never thought they would get enough signatures to begin with. That was a surprise, but then I found out later that the reason they were getting signatures is they were misleading the public to obtain them. Just sign it so he doesn’t close the two schools…,” alleges Gonzales, who has been surrounded by allegations of cronyism for years.
Mike Polak a candidate in the Sunnyside recall election also spoke at the event. Polak focused squarely on the recall election process and kept it bipartisan. Polak said, “The problem is here at Apollo Middle School they have decided to say we cannot have a poll watcher. I have a problem with that. They say it’s for a reason of security well, if we are going to have the general public bringing ballots in here why is that a security issue to have one poll watcher in here?” Polak concludes, “It needs to be fair for all of us.”
Gonzales also took a direct jab at Polak saying, “Mike Polak said he wants to do an audit… An independent audit; state law requires us to do a state audit every year from an independent firm… He hasn’t even got elected and he already got it done.”
Pima County Supervisor Ally Miller also has concerns with the recall election. She has not heard anything from her fellow county supervisors and they denied an emergency meeting she called for to review the situation. Yesterday she told the ADI, “What I would hope is we could actually come to an agreement to have an observer at this polling location. It makes no sense… That is a great concern and if we cannot get this small election right what’s going to happen in November 2014? That’s my big concern.”
The County says they are not putting poll watchers at the Apollo Middle School because they believe it is not a polling place. They argue a ballot drop off site only, hence no obligation for poll watchers. But they will have replacement ballots at the drop off site for those who need them. The Recall Committee contends that replacement ballots make it a de facto polling location.
Sergio Arellano-Oros, an active community leader commented, “This is a bipartisan effort. I am really encouraged to see every single aspect of the voting block turnout and come out for a fair election. It is unfair we have one polling place yet to be determined as eligible to be observed. It’s a travesty, so we are calling on all the people in Pima County, here in Tucson, in Pima County, to make a phone call to their elected officials to speak to F Ann Rodriguez, to speak to the Board of Supervisors and let them know that we are watching you.”