Multiple reports of possible voter intimidation of early voters in Arizona include complaints about armed poll watchers in tactical gear.
They were stationed at a ballot box in Mesa, Ariz., last Friday night, according to Arizona’s Family news. Another group of four people – two toting concealed handguns – showed up at the ballot box the following day, said the outlet.
Sheriff’s deputies were called to the scene last Friday and that Saturday a confrontation resulted from the poll watchers’ presence. When they arrived at the scene Friday, the deputies found the armed individuals “standing outside the 75 limit at the Maricopa County Juvenile Court Building,” but said that the poll watchers were not breaking any laws.
Voting districts throughout the nation have different rules for how to vote and what can be done at polling places. For example, The Texas Tribune recently published an article about rights for voters at polls in that state.
“Uninformed vigilantes outside Maricopa County’s drop boxes are not increasing election integrity. Instead they are leading to voter intimidation complaints,” said Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chairman Bill Gates and recorder Stephen Richer in a statement.
Maricopa County is the second largest voting jurisdiction in the country, with around 2.4 million registered voters and nearly 2 million people signed up for early voting, according to the county website.
During a press conference Thursday, Gates addressed unfounded allegations of election fraud in the county dating back to the 2020 presidential election.
“As I’ve said many times before… 2020 election in Maricopa County was the most scrutinized in the history of the world,” Gates said.
According to Arizona’s Family news, the Saturday night poll watchers ended up leaving.
The outlet recently “spoke to an activist in a nun outfit who said she went out to the location to watch the watchers and ensure voter intimidation wasn’t happening,” and that she said the watchers covered their license plates with cloth. At the same time, she said they were videotaping voters’ license plates.
Maricopa County has 12 Vote Centers and 16 drop boxes inside city and town facilities staffed by election workers or city and town employees. More voting locations opened Friday ahead of the Nov. 8 midterms.
“I continue to be exceedingly worried about election officials that are serving on the front line,” said elections expert Amber McReynolds in a recent interview with Audacy’s “The Homestretch” podcast about voting nationwide. She said that people have been harassed and that their lives have been threatened.
Voters in Maricopa County also have the option to return an early ballot by mail. The last recommended day to drop a ballot in the mail is Nov. 1.
“Although monitoring and transparency in our elections is critical, voter intimidation is unlawful,” said Gates in a statement. Both he and Richer said “they would do anything to protect voters, election workers, and fair elections,” per Arizona’s Family news.
The Brennan Center for Justice Friday released a resource guide regarding voter and election worker intimidation.
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