Univision reporter encourages Maricopa County residents on Friday to drop off ballots to be harvested
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On Friday afternoon, Arizona asked the Supreme Court to uphold its ban on ballot harvesting, and today the Court reinstated Arizona’s law; H.B. 2023, which makes ballot harvesting a felony. The Court rejected a ruling by the Ninth Circuit in favor of harvesters.
Twenty-six other states prohibit ballot harvesting and fourteen states make it a felony.
Justice Anthony Kennedy referred the matter to the full Court. The Court then issued a two sentence order.
The Arizona State Legislature outlawed the predatory harvesting practice after hearing compelling testimony from Sergio Arellano, a southern Arizona native and community leader. During a committee hearing, Arellano, a wounded warrior, who now serves as the Arizona State Director of the Republican National Committee testified, “I still continue to fight for these people every single day because they’re being oppressed and lied to by people from the Democratic Party; unfortunately because those are the operatives out picking up ballots.”
H.B. 2023 prohibits anyone in Arizona — except family members, household members and caregivers — from delivering another person’s ballot to a polling place or election site.
In August 2015, CASE (Central Arizonans for a Sustainable Economy) used youngsters to harvest ballots in Arizona heat.
Polls will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and if voters would like to drop off their early ballot in person, they can do so at any polling place in their county.
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