Stolen Ballots Returned To Glendale Residents: Attorney General

PHOENIX — Nearly 20 stolen ballots recovered from under a rock in Glendale were returned to voters Saturday, the Arizona Attorney General said.

The announcement came on Election Day after weeks of early voting. Attorney General Mark Brnovich said that a stack of 18 unopened mail-in ballots were found hidden under a rock near 99th and Glendale Avenues.

"The individual contacted the Glendale Police Department and responding officers located 18 ballots on the side of the road," Brnovich said in a news release. "According to investigators, the ballots were stolen from individual mailboxes in a neighborhood just south of 107th and Northern avenues. The envelopes were still sealed."

According to a Glendale Police Department Facebook post, the person who found the ballots was Brayan Ruiz, who works at nearby Rovey Farms.

Agents with the attorney general's office worked with members of the Glendale Police Department to return the ballots to voters this weekend. The news release said it is possible others had their ballots stolen as well.

"Each resident said they were aware their early election ballots had not arrived. Some went in person to vote early, and others had not voted yet," the Glendale Police Department wrote on Facebook. "We were able to distribute them in time, to provide voters the opportunity to at least fill them out at home and then drop them off to a polling location."

The motive for stealing the ballots is not yet known. An investigation is still underway and no arrests have been made yet.

Anyone with information is encouraged to submit tips to the Attorney General’s Election Integrity Unit online or by emailing EIU@azag.gov. Check to see if your ballot has been counted here.