Arizona Alliance and Voto Latino File Lawsuit to Stop Harassment and Intimidation at Arizona Ballot Drop Boxes

The Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans and Voto Latino filed a lawsuit Monday in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona seeking a temporary restraining order against Clean Elections USA, its founder Melody Jennings, and the individuals who have been gathering at and surveilling drop boxes. A copy of the complaint is HERE.

The lawsuit alleges that Clean Elections USA and its founder are recruiting people to conduct an organized campaign to suppress the vote by harassing and intimidating voters at early ballot return drop 

Armed "drop box monitors" in Arizona wore tactical gear and carried weapons.

boxes. The Alliance and the lawsuit were mentioned on the Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC and in dozens of other news outlets. 

Recently the sheriff for Arizona’s Maricopa County increased security at ballot drop boxes 

following a number of incidents involving individuals keeping watch on the boxes and taking video of voters. Last Friday, deputies responded after two people carrying guns and wearing masks and bulletproof vests appeared at a drop box in the Phoenix suburb of Mesa.

At least five Arizona voters filed three complaints with the Arizona Secretary of State’s office describing people who identified themselves as representing Clean Elections USA who were photographing them and their license plates and in some cases accusing the voters of illegal activities. Jennings has implied that she will use the images and video captured by those crowds to “dox” people; opening them up to harassment by the general public. 

Federal Judge Michael Liburdi said he hopes to decide by Friday whether to approve an emergency order that would stop ballot drop box monitors from staking out Arizona voting locations. 

Early voting in Arizona began October 7 and will continue until October 30. Although the Arizona Secretary of State referred the complaints to the U.S. Department of Justice for investigation, the plaintiffs argue that a restraining order is needed immediately to prevent additional intimidation.

“Older Arizonans are the most likely to vote by early ballot, and must be confident that they can easily and safely deposit their ballots at a drop box,” said Saundra Cole, President of the Arizona Alliance. 

“Voter suppression is taking many forms in 2022, and we are committed to stopping it wherever we can,” added Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance. 

Alliance and AFL-CIO Educate Voters During National Retirement Security Week

The AFL-CIO and the Alliance marked Retirement Security Week by highlighting the positions of key 2022 federal candidates on Social Security, Medicare, prescription drug prices, and pensions.

The Alliance’s Senate candidate side-by-side fact sheets detail the records and positions of several GOP Senate candidates who are pushing for cuts for Social Security and Medicare, including Ted Budd (NC), Ron Johnson (WI), Adam Laxalt (NV), Blake Masters (AZ), Mehmet Oz (PA), Marco Rubio (FL) and JD Vance (OH). 

“Every older American should understand that their retirement security is on the ballot,” said Alliance Secretary-Treasurer Joseph Peters Jr. “We should take these candidates at their word, and make sure our family, friends and neighbors understand who is on their side and who wants to slash their earned benefits.”

You can check your voter registration and find your polling location online at www.vote.org.

Democratic Super PAC Ads Focus on Social Security as Election Day Draws Closer

The Senate Democrats’ top super PAC is focusing on Social Security in new ad buys, each worth at least $1 million, aimed at Republicans in Arizona and North Carolina.

The ad running in North Carolina notes that Rep. Ted Budd, the GOP Senate nominee, cast votes in the House to cut Medicare and Social Security, including voting to raise the retirement age. The Arizona cut shows Blake Masters saying, “Maybe we should privatize Social Security, right? We’ve got to cut the knot at some point.”

“Seniors’ most important issues are front and center as Election Day approaches,” said Robert Roach, Jr., President of the Alliance. “Make a plan to vote for candidates who will protect you from plans to cut and privatize Social Security and Medicare.”

Alliance Hosts Teletown Hall with Wisconsin Members and Mandela Barnes  

The Wisconsin Alliance hosted a telephone town hall meeting Thursday with Mandela Barnes, the state’s Lieutenant Governor and the Alliance's endorsed candidate for the U.S. Senate. During the town hall, Mr. Barnes discussed prescription drug prices and threats to Social Security. 

His support for expanding and increasing Social Security benefits stands in stark contrast to his opponent, Sen. Ron Johnson, who has earned a lifetime score of just 4% in the Alliance’s Congressional Voting Record. Johnson does not support protecting Social Security benefits. In fact, he wants to gut Social Security and Medicare by requiring Congress to vote on whether to continue the programs every year. Johnson called Social Security a “Ponzi Scheme'' and voted to raise the retirement age to 70. 

"Mandela won’t let anyone take away the benefits we’ve earned, and he wants to increase those benefits by making the wealthiest pay their fair share," said Fiesta.

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