A stunning incident of vandalism has disrupted the voting process in Arizona, where voters can cast their ballots early up until Election Day, either by mail-in ballots or at designated early voting locations.

On Thursday, just before 1:30 a.m., a mailbox outside a post office on 7th Avenue near Indian School Road in Phoenix was set on fire according to Fox10. Phoenix Fire Department crews promptly responded extinguishing the fire. Unfortunately, the fire damaged twenty electoral ballots along with other mail items.

The affected ballots were handed over to the Postal Inspector for further investigation. Authorities are currently investigating the incident as arson.

via Phoenix Fox10

“The Postal Inspector took possession of the damaged ballots and mail,” explained Phoenix Fire Capt. Rob McDade. “The Phoenix Fire Investigations Task Force, which includes Phoenix Police detectives and Phoenix Fire investigators, are working with US Postal Inspectors.”

“Approximately 20 electoral ballots were damaged, along with additional miscellaneous mail,” said McDade. “The Postal Inspector took possession of the damaged ballots and mail.”

The area was initially cordoned off for investigation but has since been reopened. Phoenix Police have collected surveillance footage from the scene as part of the ongoing investigation, hoping to identify those responsible for the disruption.

Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer addressed the incident, saying: “We are waiting for details from law enforcement. We encourage all voters who used that mail box in the last 36 hours to check the status of their ballots at https://BeBallotReady.Vote. Successful delivery is usually reflected on that website within 72 hours. Voters should be aware that tomorrow, October 25 is the last day to request a replacement ballot. If a voter believes they were impacted by this incident they can learn more about how to make that request at https://Request.Maricopa.Vote.”

Arizona set the pace this election season, opening up early in-person voting before any other battleground state. It’s a crucial spot on the map, with 11 electoral votes up for grabs that could swing either way.

Both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris hit the campaign trail hard in Arizona, making their pitch to voters in recent months. In the 2020 presidential election, Arizona swung blue for the first time since 1996, with Joe Biden narrowly defeating Donald Trump by about 10,500 votes, securing 49.4% to Trump’s 49.1%.

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