TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Voters in Pima County casting a mail-in ballot for the Tuesday, August 2 primary will find a new addition to their early voting packet: A new tri-lingual "I voted" sticker.
Pima County Recorder Gabriella Cázares-Kelly unveiled the new sticker, which is intended to more accurately reflect the county's population, according to data from the 2020 U.S. Census and the county's geographic boundaries.
English is still the most common language spoken in Pima County, according to Census data, but the sticker reflects the cultural impact of the Tohono O’odham and Spanish languages in the area. Both languages, along with English, are represented on the new sticker.
2020 Census data reports that 38.5% of Pima County residents are considered Hispanic or Latino, and 27.4% of the population speaks a language other than English in their homes.
"Most Pima County voters will be unfamiliar with the Tohono O’odham language," the Recorder's Office shared in a statement. "It was included to acknowledge that Pima County’s boundaries sit within the ancestral homelands of the Tohono O’odham Nation."
Pima County Recorder Gabriella Cázares-Kelly is herself a member of the Tohono O’odham Nation and the first Native American to hold a countywide elected office in the County.
The Tohono O’odham language has had an impact on daily life in the state: The very name "Arizona" is derived from the O’odham word “Alṣon,” which means “place of little springs ” and the name “Tucson” is based on the O’odham phrase “S-cuk ṣon,” meaning “base of the black mountain,” shared Cázares-Kelly's office.
The Recorder's Office says it plans to release additional versions of the sticker that include the Yoeme or Yaqui language, the language of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe.
These stickers are currently only available to early voters who receive ballots through the mail or visit one of the 15 early voting sites in Pima County.
“I Voted” stickers are an important part of the voting experience and not only allow voters to display their pride in exercising a fundamental, constitutional right, but they also deepen a sense of community while promoting voting culture. Read more at https://t.co/nyt72Mz2Kg pic.twitter.com/nDdcbUzMs6
— Pima County Recorder's Office (@PimaRecorder) July 14, 2022
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