Ballot Box Bullies

(Note: Blog title is mine. Original headline is: "

Lions of Liberty may ‘box watch’ voters"

 By Vyto S. October 2

VERDE VALLEY – The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office is aware of plans by a conservative group calling itself “the Lions of Liberty” to “box watch” voters at ballot drop boxes outside polling places during the upcoming General Election.

“Bring a phone or a camera,” the Lions of Liberty website states, offering a signup form. “If you see someone putting more ballots in than their own, take a picture of them, their car and their license plate.”

The group was looking for volunteers to observe in Yavapai County communities, including Cottonwood, Camp Verde, Clarkdale, Jerome and the Village of Oak Creek.

“A few months ago the group called the sheriff to find out if it was legal for them to ‘box watch,’ and he told them that it is legal if that person is sitting outside the 75-foot perimeter, is on public property and is not engaging in any harassment or intimidation of voters,” said Kristin Greene, Public Affairs and Government Relations director for the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff David Rhodes wasn’t informed that there would be photographing or filming, Greene, pointed out.

There is no photographing of voters within 75 feet of polling places, but some drop boxes may be outside this 75-foot perimeter. Jerome does not have a polling location, just a drop box.

“There is no law against filming or photographing a person without their permission unless it is in a place where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy, which would include inside the polling place and within the 75-foot perimeter, but not outside that perimeter,” she said. 

“However, taking photos or videos outside the 75-foot-limit may have an intimidating effect on voters entering or exiting the voting location if done in an aggressive, threatening or harassing way, which is also unlawful,” Greene acknowledged.

It’s subjective if a voter feels intimidated, she said.

“However, the right to vote is sacred in this country and no one should face intimidation while doing so,” Greene added.

“In our endeavor to secure our election from those who would cause this country harm, we have created Operation: Drop Box,” the Liberty of Lions webpage states. “For the upcoming election, we plan on watching the ballot boxes throughout Yavapai County.”

On their webpage, which touts the Oath Keepers, the Lions of Liberty stated: “We are a resolute nucleus of concerned, passionate conservative patriots who are determined to correct the course of our country which has been hijacked and undermined by global elites, communists, leftists, deep state bureaucrats, and fake news.”

An email to the Lions of Liberty website for comment was not returned by press time.