Navajo County finds about 3,000 unused 2024 ballots at Heber-Overgaard polling site

Poll workers at the Heber-Overgaard polling location found approximately 3,000 blank, sealed ballots from the 2024 general election during the July 21, 2026, Arizona primary, according to a Navajo County announcement.

The county said the ballots were never cast or tabulated and could not have changed the 2024 election results. The discovery instead prompted an administrative review of how unused ballots were accounted for, returned and supervised.

What was found

The ballots were found in a storage tub at a county facility used primarily as a Navajo County Sheriff’s Office substation. Navajo County described them as blank, sealed and unused 2024 general-election ballots.

The county said the discovery does not indicate that votes were lost, altered or counted improperly. Its statement specifically said the ballots were never cast or tabulated and were not capable of affecting the 2024 results.

Why the county called it a procedural failure

Navajo County acknowledged that the unused ballots were not properly accounted for and returned as required. The county characterized the issue as a serious procedural failure while emphasizing that no votes or election results were affected.

What the review will examine

The administrative review will examine ballot inventory, chain of custody, reconciliation, return procedures and supervisory controls. The county also said it will review post-election controls for additional gaps.

Navajo County announced corrective steps that include verifying the physical return and reconciliation of ballots after each election, strengthening poll-worker training and ballot-accounting checklists, and documenting that returned ballots match precinct records. The review’s findings and any additional corrective actions remain pending.

Why this is a local issue

Navajo County identifies Overgaard as part of the unincorporated Heber-Overgaard community. County election materials identify Heber/Overgaard as a voting location for the 2026 primary, with the Heber Navajo County Complex listed as a county voting-service location.

For local voters, the immediate takeaway is that the county says the unused ballots did not affect counted votes or election outcomes. The unresolved question is whether the review identifies broader weaknesses in ballot inventory, reconciliation or supervision and what further changes may follow.

Sources

• Navajo County ballot-discovery release
• KJZZ report on Navajo County early ballots