Phoenix voters have reported to City of Phoenix staff that individuals have come to their doors stating that they work for the elections department and that they are there to pick up the voter’s early ballot to return it. The individuals also reportedly are asking questions about how the resident voted.
As a result, the City Clerk is reminding voters that City Clerk Department elections staff do not visit residences to pick up ballots. Voters recentlyCity elections staff would never ask a voter how they voted. Further, City Election staff would have a photo identification as a City Clerk Department employee.
The Clerk is also reminding voters that for their vote to be counted, early ballots must be received by election officials by 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 25. Voters can return an early ballot either by mail or by delivering it to any voting location. If a voter needs someone to return an early ballot for them, it should be someone they know or trust.
“Based on my two years as MCRC Chairman and the August 2014 Arizona Primary Elections, I came to the conclusion Arizona’s voting and election system has serious problems. This report and comments by the Phoenix City Clerk are extremely concerning and is just one more example that voter fraud is alive and well in Arizona,” stated A. J. LaFaro, National Director. In 2013, LaFaro exposed ballot harvesting by Citizens for a Better Arizona (CBA).
Under Arizona law, the practice by CBA (Citizens for a Better Arizona) and other groups of collecting tens of thousands of ballots is perfectly legal. Due to resistance from democrat lawmakers to reform election laws and protect voters from political predators this past year, Arizona remains the only state in which ballot harvesting is lawful.
Before being elected as Secretary of State, Michelle Reagan noted on her campaign website, “It is well established and documented that numerous special interest groups and political field operatives go door-to-door collecting thousands of ballots during the Primary and General elections. These individuals and groups pressure our most vulnerable voters to relinquish their ballot often under the guise of “helping”. Additionally, these individuals have been found to actually “help” the voter complete their ballot.”
LaFaro submitted a Public Information Request to Maricopa County Elections on 08/26 requesting the 24/7 security surveillance video tape for 08/25 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. for the camera in the MCTEC foyer watching the ballot box – camera 9.
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