Phoenix - A young man dropping off a box of of early ballots at a Maricopa County elections site the day before the August primary has some making accusations of voter fraud.
But some groups with get out the vote programs are pushing back saying the video simply shows a volunteer dropping off early ballots, which helps more people cast their vote that otherwise would not be turn in time to be counted.
Furthermore, they argue, the unidentified man's actions are perfectly legal under current state law.
The Arizona Daily Independent was the first to report on the now viral video, interviewing A.J. LaFaro, the chairman of the Maricopa County Republican Party.
LaFaro was in the elections department on Aug. 25 to observe early primary balloting procedures when the young man came in wearing a Citizens for a Better Arizona t-shirt.
People are also reading…
The group is was part of the recall of former President of the Senate Russell Pearce.
The GOP official said he briefly talked to the man - which he believes was carrying in hundreds of ballots - but the conversation was brief.
LaFaro said the man wouldn't not give his name and ended the conversation by swearing at the GOP official.
The nearly nine-minute video does not contain any sound but shows a man calmly unpacking the box and putting ballots into a bin in the county office.
LaFaro told the Arizona Daily Independent that he would have followed the man out of the offices but feared for his safety.
A spokesperson for the Maricopa County Elections Department told the TheBlaze.com that "there’s no investigation" into the incident LaFaro described.
Several groups said the video shows nothing illegal and accusations of voter fraud are baseless.
Sam Wercinski, the executive director of the Arizona Advocacy Network, noted the young volunteer wasn't breaking any laws when he dropped off ballots the day before the primary.
"The young volunteer, in fact, should be applauded for helping voters get their ballots to elections officials on time rather than mail them after the deadline and arrive too late to be counted. That is what happened to thousands of voters in Maricopa County in the primary election - ballots arrived in the mail but after the election," Wercinski said.
Francisco Heredia, the executive director of One Arizona, said the video of man delivering ballots is being used to scare people and garner headlines.
“Our coalition’s volunteers have helped tens of thousands of Arizonans to vote since 2010, many for the first time, with no credible allegations of wrongdoing. This video doesn’t change that," Heredia said.
But Pima County Recorder F. Ann Rodriguez still is wary of people you don't know knocking on your door asking for your ballot, issuing a "Stranger Danger advisory" back in August.
"If you are being contacted by phone by individuals representing various organizations asking if they can pick up your voted ballot at your home and take it to the Post Office or the Recorder’s Office, say NO. If they show up at your door making the offer to take your voted ballot to the Post Office or Recorder’s Office, just tell them NO. You have no idea who these people are. Never give your voted ballot to a stranger," Rodriguez said.
Contact reporter Joe Ferguson at jferguson@tucson.com or 573-4346. Follow him on Twitter @JoeFerguson

