Ballot Drop Boxes and Ballot Counting in Arizona

Arizona is the Wild West – especially for voters. In the past few weeks, ballot drop boxes in Maricopa County were being monitored by members of a group called Clean Elections USA.

These members, some wearing body armor and carrying firearms, photographed and recorded voters dropping off their ballots. Voters understandably felt intimidated. First, a federal judge ruled that it was the monitors’ constitutional right to watch the voters at the drop boxes. Then later on, he granted a restraining order which banned the monitors from being within 250 feet of the ballot drop boxes.

In Cochise County, the Board of Supervisors voted for a full ballot hand count in addition to the machine count. All ballots would be machine counted and hand counted which will undoubtedly delay the election results. This week, a lawsuit was filed to stop that, so stay tuned. On top of all of this, there is a proposition on the ballot which seeks to require additional information about each voter – for mail-in ballots and at the polls. We’ll see what the voters have to say about that. Till then, so long partner.