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Arizona officials have called in the US Department of Justice to investigate a case of possible voter intimidation after a group of people followed and filmed a voter in Maricopa County as he dropped off a ballot at a drop box for the midterm elections. A spokesperson for the Arizona secretary of state’s office, Sophia Solis, today said her office had also asked the state’s attorney general to look into the claim.
Ms Solis explained: “The voter was approached and followed by a group of individuals when the voter was trying to drop off their ballot at an early voting drop box on Monday.”
The Justice Department confirmed it had received the referral, but declined further comment.
The attorney general’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
In a report filed with the Arizona secretary of state’s office, the voter, whose name was redacted, said the incident happened on Monday evening during early voting at Mesa juvenile court.
He wrote: “There’s a group of people hanging out near the ballot dropbox filming and photographing my wife and I as we approached the dropbox and accusing us of being a mule.”
The group also took photos of their licence plate and followed them to their car, the man added.
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Nevertheless the belief has taken root. Roughly 51 percent of Americans, and 71 percent of Republicans, say they believe that voter fraud is a widespread problem, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling.
Officials in at least three additional states – North Carolina, Colorado and Nevada – have reported incidents of voter intimidation this election cycle, though it is unclear if any have led to a criminal referral.
In North Carolina alone, officials noted unusually aggressive observers during May’s primary elections in 16 counties.
Officials in Arizona have previously said they were aware of reports of voters being monitoring when dropping off votes.
Reports earlier this month suggested many incidents of alleged voter intimidation were being carried out by an expanding group of thousands of grassroots poll observers, many of whom have been recruited by prominent Republican Party figures and activists, a trend that has worried elections experts and officials.
In dozens of cases throughout the country, an onslaught of intimidation and threats has pushed elections officials to resign.
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