Why Cochise County's Jail Is Over Capacity—and What the Upcoming 2025 Tax Vote Means
If you have someone in the Cochise County Jail, it helps to understand why the facility feels strained and why voters are being asked about jail funding again in 2025. Here's the capacity baseline, what the county says about the building's condition, and the election timeline that affects the Jail District sales tax.
The Cochise County Jail was originally designed to house 168 inmates. That number matters because it’s the facility’s starting point for how much space, staffing, and infrastructure it was built to support.
Today, the jail has been modified to hold as many as 302 inmates. That's nearly double the original design. When a building houses that many more people than it was built for, the pressure shows up fast: housing management, safety, and maintenance demands all take a hit.
County materials describing the Jail District point to the facility's age and wear as a key reason officials are pursuing new funding. A recent county assessment called the jail a 40-year-old facility that has lasted twice its expected life. It now faces expensive maintenance, repair, and operational costs, along with staff and inmate safety concerns. The same materials describe the Sheriff's Office and county leadership working with the community, public health and safety professionals, and finance experts to figure out what the county's jail system actually needs going forward.
This isn't the first time the Jail District excise (sales) tax has gone to voters. The county says it appeared on an all-mail special election ballot on May 16, 2023, and voters approved it.
Then the timeline shifted. In June 2025, the county adopted a resolution to end collection of the Jail District tax effective July 31, 2025. That means the tax stops being collected on that date unless a new approval is in place.
A new in-person election on the Jail District excise (sales) tax is scheduled for November 4, 2025. That date is the next major decision point for county voters on whether this sales tax moves forward.
Where to Watch
- ✓ Check official Cochise County Jail District updates for any changes to dates, ballot language, or how the tax would be used
- ✓ Watch Cochise County Board of Supervisors meeting agendas and resolutions for actions tied to the Jail District tax and jail planning
- ✓ Track Cochise County election notices and special election information leading up to November 4, 2025
- ✓ Keep an eye on public notices related to the July 31, 2025 end date for tax collection, so you understand what is in effect and when
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