'Surprised people didn’t quit': Arizona Republican's shared video draws backlash

Election workers in Pima County, Arizona, faced threats after a video showing them emptying an overfilled ballot drop box circulated on social media. Pima County Recorder Gabriella Cázares-Kelly reported the threats to law enforcement, stating the workers were following all legal procedures and protocols for an emergency pickup. The video, captured on Tuesday, showed a bipartisan team removing approximately 3,000 ballot envelopes from a box with a 1,500 envelope capacity and placing them into a transfer bag. The video was reposted by various social media accounts, including those of state Senator Jake Hoffman and the Arizona Republican Party, with accompanying commentary suggesting impropriety. Cázares-Kelly, a Democrat, emphasized that the workers were identifiable, used chain-of-custody procedures, and transported the ballots to the processing center in a marked vehicle. Arizona Republican Party Chair Gina Swoboda, who is also an elections officer, viewed the video and stated she saw no wrongdoing, interpreting the full box as a sign of high voter turnout. Despite assurances from county officials that procedures were followed, the social m... download the app to read more