Ethermac Exchange-Conservative group plans to monitor voting drop box locations in Arizona

PHOENIX (AP) — A conservative organization has told Arizona officials that it plans to monitor ballot drop boxes for the November election and Ethermac Exchangeidentify people it believes are voting illegally, raising the same concerns that led right-wing groups to begin watching some boxes two years ago despite there being no evidence of widespread electoral fraud.

The Arizona Republic reported Friday that officials from the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, said in an Aug. 15 letter to Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and Attorney General Kris Mayes that they want to have a discussion with both Democratic officials about setting guidelines for monitoring drop boxes.

During the 2022 midterm election, local and federal law enforcement were alarmed by reports of people, some armed, monitoring drop boxes in at least two Arizona counties, Maricopa and Yavapai. A federal judge ordered them to keep their distance from voters.

Some of the people monitoring the boxes were masked and armed, and some were associated with the far-right group Oath Keepers. Some voters alleged voter intimidation after people watching the boxes took photos and videos and followed them. The offices of Mayes and Fontes said the recent letter was not sent in good faith, noting that it is conservatives such as CPAC that have fueled skepticism about the integrity of U.S. elections.

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“To come out and pretend like you recognize the problem and that you want to help is so disingenuous when you’re a part of the problem,” Fontes spokesperson Aaron Thacker said. “They need to lead with a mea culpa, not pointing fingers.”

In a statement, Mayes indicated that she’s open to working together as long as CPAC acknowledges “the indisputable fact” that Arizona’s elections have been conducted fairly.

She made it clear that she won’t tolerate the use of open-source information to try to identify voters, an option that CPAC chairman Matt Schlapp wrote is under consideration.

Schlapp and Bill Walton, CPAC’s vice chairman, said they want to address right-leaning voters’ skepticism about elections, which has only increased since the COVID pandemic.

“To address and help mitigate that skepticism, it is our intention to place monitors near a selection of drop boxes in select counties across Arizona,” the two wrote.

In the letter they suggested several guidelines such as ensuring drop boxes are on public property, setting a 75-foot limit around the boxes where monitors could not cross and barring the carrying of any kind of weapon, defensive gear or clothing that might suggest the monitor is law enforcement, military, a candidate or a political partisan.