Navajo County Republicans Report Suspicious Electioneering at Whiteriver Polling Station

By Matthew Holloway |

During the recent primary elections, Republican volunteers at the Whiteriver Polling Center in Navajo County reported significant violations of Arizona election laws by local Democratic representatives, characterizing the environment as chaotic and highly orchestrated.

A member of the Navajo County Republican Party, who chose to remain anonymous, detailed their six years of experience as a poll worker, with three of those years spent at the Whiteriver location. They highlighted that an ongoing deficiency of poll workers has been largely overlooked by the Board of Supervisors and the County Manager.

They raised questions about the compliance of party representation in the tabulating room, emphasizing that state law requires one member from each of the two major political parties to be present during the adjudication of ballots. “Currently, there are two Democrats and one Independent in the tabulation room,” they said, pointing out this inconsistency with ARS 16-531(A).

The source claimed that despite compiling evidence during the primary, similar issues have recurred in the general election. “We have evidence of these violations. They don’t seem to rectify them,” the source stated.

Allegations also included reports of Democrats distributing “golden ticket” voting guides, accompanied by food and other amenities, which could be interpreted as electioneering. Law enforcement had to intervene, escorting party volunteers beyond the designated electioneering boundary.

Describing the polling atmosphere, the source noted the presence of a DJ playing music, food being cooked for passersby, and promotional items being handed out alongside the voting guides. These guides reportedly instructed voters on which propositions to support, such as advocating for a ‘yes’ vote on proposition 139.

Such inducements raise legal concerns under Arizona laws, particularly A.R.S. 16-1005(C) and A.R.S. 16-1006(A), which prohibit any form of compensation in exchange for votes. Violating these laws can result in serious criminal penalties.

The source also drew attention to campaign merchandise being distributed at the polls, specifically pens emblazoned with the name of Mike Sample, a Democratic candidate for the county recorder position. “They were literally handing out his pens for voters to use,” the source remarked. “If that’s not electioneering, I don’t know what is.”

Matthew Holloway is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.