Pinal County officials warn against threats to election workers

Pinal County law enforcement and election officials have issued a warning that threats and intimidation against election workers will not be tolerated.

The statements from Pinal County Sheriff Ross Teeple and Pinal County Recorder Dana Lewis follow an Oct. 15 incident in which an envelope containing white powder was received by the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office.

A spokesperson for the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office said there have been no incidents specifically targeting Pinal County election workers.

“This is simply in response to threats we have seen elsewhere, in solidarity with the Pinal County Recorder Dana Lewis. I am not aware of any incidents in Pinal County,” PCSO Public Information Officer Sam Salzwedel stated in an email.

Lewis stated threats against election workers are unacceptable.

“Threats and intimidation have no place in our elections. Our employees are dedicated public servants who work hard to serve Pinal County voters and their safety is paramount. We will remain focused on our responsibilities and continue working to ensure elections are conducted safely, securely and in accordance with the law,” Lewis stated.

In a video on the Pinal County Recorder's Faceook page, Lewis stated that PCSO's K-9 unit had done a sweep check at election offices.

Teeple stated all threats will be taken seriously and investigated.

“Our office is committed to working with election officials to assess potential risks, respond to reported threats and take appropriate action when criminal conduct is suspected,” Teeple stated.

The public is encouraged to report any threats or suspicious activity to law enforcement, rather than attempt to investigate or confront individuals themselves, according to a press release.

On Oct. 15, the executive tower at the Arizona State Capitol was evacuated after an envelope containing white powder was opened by a clerk in the office of Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, authorities said.

The following day, Fontes stated the powder was nontoxic “and a failed attempt to disrupt the state’s election that are less than three weeks away.”

“Yesterday’s attack was not a harmless prank, it was an apparent attempt to disrupt our election and intimidate the public servants who make the possible,” Fontes’ statement continued. “Let me be absolutely clear, we will not be intimidated, we will not be distracted and we will not allow threats to interfere with Arizona’s elections.”

Michael Moore, chief information security officer for the secretary of state’s office, stated that these types of threats have been ongoing in recent years.

“To some folks it may seem like yesterday was a special thing, to us it was a Thursday. We unfortunately deal with threats constantly. That’s not new, that’s something that we’ve been dealing with for the past at least six, seven years,” Moore stated.

Janet Perez can be reached at jperez@iniusa.org. Please send your comments about this article to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.