Scores of ballots were damaged after a collection box at the United States Post Office in Phoenix caught fire, police said.
A person started a fire inside a car pickup mailbox at a USPS station Thursday morning, according to the Phoenix Police Department, which said it responded at 1:20 a.m.
The Phoenix Fire Department was able to open the mailbox and put out the fire, and the Postal Inspector took possession of the damaged ballots and assorted mail, police said.
Phoenix police initially said approximately 20 ballots were damaged, although the Arizona Secretary of State later said the fire had destroyed only five ballots, while cautioning that the final figure could still change.
A suspect has been arrested in connection with the incident, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said Thursday afternoon. No additional details about the suspect have been released.
“There is zero tolerance for criminal activity in our community, and we are working with all levels of government to bring the perpetrators to justice,” Gallego said in a statement on X.
The Phoenix Fire Investigations Task Force — which includes police detectives and fire investigators — is working with U.S. Postal Inspectors on the investigation, police said.
“I am deeply troubled by the arson attack on a USPS collection box in Phoenix,” Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes said in a statement. “This act of deliberate vandalism undermines the integrity of our democratic process.”
USPS mailboxes
Tada Images – stock.adobe.com
Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer said in a statement Thursday that officials are “awaiting details from law enforcement” about the incident.
Voters who have used that mailbox in the last 36 hours can check the status of their votes hereA successful delivery update is usually reflected within 72 hours, he said.
The deadline for registered voters to request early voting for the battleground state election is Friday.
“If a voter believes they have been affected by this incident, they can get more information on how to make such a request here Request. Maricopa. VoteRicher said.
Unlike USPS mailboxes, ballot boxes in Arizona counties are equipped with fire suppression equipment, according to Fontes.
“One of the things that we’ve done in my office is to make sure that boxes across the county have firefighting equipment inside those boxes,” Fontes said Thursday during a Zoom call with election officials. “Unfortunately, the United States Postal Service does not have that.”
