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FACT BRIEF

Have there been reports of voter intimidation at Arizona ballot drop-off boxes?

By Austin Tannenbaum
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YES

Multiple Arizonans have reported harassment and intimidation while bringing their ballots to various drop boxes.

One report by two voters said individuals asked them personal information while filming and photographing them, calling them "mules" in reference to the debunked 2,000 Mules documentary about alleged ballot fraud. Another documented two armed individuals in tactical gear.

Board of Supervisors Chairman Bill Gates warned against the unofficial drop box watchers' "bad behavior," stating, "They're harassing people. They're not helping further the interests of democracy."

An Elections Department spokesperson said Thursday that while it is “unacceptable and unlawful to impede any voter from participating in the election," the watchers "have the right to be on public sidewalks and parking lots." The Secretary of State's Office is currently evaluating the legal limits for ballot drop box observers and which activities may constitute voter intimidation.

See a full discussion of this at Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Cronkite News Election officials probe alleged voter intimidation at ballot drop box
Maricopa County Elections Department Joint Statement on Drop Box Watchers
AP News Fact Focus: Gaping holes in the claim of 2K ballot ‘mules’
The Arizona Republic As ballot drop box stakeouts continue, new voter intimidation complaints flow in
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting
The Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting is the state’s only independent, nonpartisan and collaborative nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide, data-driven investigative reporting. AZCIR's mission is to hold powerful people and institutions accountable by exposing injustice and systemic inequities through investigative journalism.
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.