A warehouse at the Maricopa County Elections Authority was photographed Sept. 8. Maricopa’s sheriff said security around ballot boxes had been increased after a series of incidents where people were watching the boxes.

Ross D. Franklin/AP

hide caption

toggle caption

Ross D. Franklin/AP

A warehouse at the Maricopa County Elections Authority was photographed Sept. 8. Maricopa’s sheriff said security around ballot boxes had been increased after a series of incidents where people were watching the boxes.

Ross D. Franklin/AP

Following a presentation to lawmakers from PHOENIX — in May, True The Vote — the organization behind the movie “2000 Mules” in which the false research was exposed — Arizona Senator Kelly Townsend announced the unsubstantiated He offered words of encouragement to residents who want to combat election fraud. Claim.

“So nice to hear about all the vigilantes wanting to camp with these drop boxes, right? So do it. Do it,” Republicans applauded from the audience. “Today I gave the word that if you come like a mule and now pack the ballot box, you will be caught.”

With early voting now underway in Arizona, it’s clear that many in this battleground state are following such a call to action.

Ann incident The Arizona Secretary of State told the U.S. Department of Justice that the voters were filmed, photographed, and sent to a drop-box outside of Phoenix after the car pulled out of the parking lot.

I had another complaint submitted Last week, after “people in camouflage” took pictures of voters and their car license plates at election headquarters in Maricopa County.

And on Friday, Maricopa County sheriff’s deputies responded to two men standing guard armed with drop boxes on Mesa and wearing tactical gear.

As of Monday, Secretary of State Katie Hobbs said Mention A total of six potential voter intimidation complaints near ballot drop-boxes to law enforcement.

“Voter harassment includes gathering around the ballot box to question voters, brandishing weapons, taking pictures of people voting, chasing and chasing voters as they drop their ballots. all of which could be seen as voter intimidation,” Hobbes said. “That is unacceptable.”

Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone told reporters on Monday that “substantial” resources must be devoted to monitoring activity at drop-boxes just to give people confidence that it is safe to vote. He said he had to.

The case came to the attention of U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, who said Monday that the Justice Department “will not allow voters to be intimidated” during the midterm elections.

Dropbox vigilantes aren’t limited to Maricopa County, Arizona.For example, his two groups in rural northern Yavapai County had a similar plan Monitor your dropbox.

Technically, it’s not illegal to film or monitor the site as long as people stay at least 75 feet away from the drop box.

At a press conference last week, Maricopa County Recorder Steven Richer said officials are evaluating what they can and cannot do about Dropbox Observer. “We haven’t come up with a legal framework for that,” he said.

At least some of the dropbox watchers claim to belong to Clean Elections USA, a national organization promoted by former Trump aide Steve Bannon.federal litigation submitted on monday Seeking an order banning group members from following voters or taking pictures or videos at dropboxes.

Election conspiracy theorists such as Arizona’s Republican nominee for Secretary of State Mark Finkem have defended vigilantism, calling Democratic Secretary of State Hobbes and reporters who are running for governor “blackmailing ballot box monitors.” I do,” he denounced.

“Look at all the dropboxes. Period. Save the Republic,” he tweeted last week.

But Maricopa County election officials have faced flawed scrutiny and scrutiny since the 2020 election, and have seen enough.

“The ignorant vigilantes outside the Maricopa County drop-box are not enhancing the integrity of the election,” Republican Richer and Maricopa County Commissioner Bill Gates said in a joint statement. “Instead, they are leading to voter intimidation complaints.”

“Election monitoring and transparency are important, but voter intimidation is illegal,” they added.

Gates noted that voters aren’t the only ones feeling harassed and intimidated. occurred.

“Regardless of what the intentions of these people who are taking pictures of our election officials are, they are harassing people. They are not helping advance the interests of democracy.” yeah.”

As for GOP state senator Townsend, who encouraged vigilantism over the summer, she’s distanced herself from her field efforts in Arizona.

“Just to be clear, I’m not saying don’t intimidate anyone,” Townsend tweeted Monday.

“I don’t need to say this, but wearing tactical gear while looking at the ballot box could be seen as voter intimidation. ‘Don’t do it.’