Mailbox containing election ballots lit on fire in swing state Arizona

Mail-in ballots for the Nov. 5 predetermination were damaged erstwhile a occurrence was acceptable to a USPS mailbox overnight successful Arizona, which is expected to beryllium a hotly contested plaything state.

Approximately 20 ballots were damaged successful the aboriginal Thursday greeting blaze successful Phoenix, according to section reports. Firefighters arrived to extinguish the flames astir 1:20 a.m. aft forcing the postulation container open.

Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego expressed interest implicit the substance and vowed to bring whoever was liable to justice. She announced an apprehension Thursday afternoon, thanking Phoenix police, the Phoenix Fire Department and national partners for their “swift action.”

No details connected the fishy were released.

Exactly however galore ballots were destroyed is unclear. Voters who utilized the mailbox astatine 7th Avenue and Indian School Road are advised to log onto the Maricopa elections website to check the status of their ballot successful a mates days.

One of the names connected the ballot is Arizona Republican senatorial campaigner Kari Lake, who has a history of fanning the flames of election fraud conspiracy theories.

Maricopa County predetermination authoritative Stephen Richer sued the erstwhile section Fox newsman successful 2023 aft she stated without grounds that her nonaccomplishment successful the state’s gubernatorial contention was owed to impropriety. She besides falsely insisted Donald Trump won the 2020 statesmanlike election.

Polls amusement Lake trailing Democrat Ruben Gallego 11 days earlier the election.

The mailbox occurrence comes connected the aforesaid time that Republican statesmanlike campaigner Donald Trump is visiting Arizona, portion VP Kamala Harris campaigns successful Georgia. Recent polls show Trump holding a slim lead implicit Harris successful the last agelong of the 2024 race.