Records show coordinated Arizona ballot collection scheme, suspect back in court Thursday

(KYMA, KECY/ AP News) - According to records obtained by the Associated Press, a San Luis woman indicted on accusations of illegally collecting ballots apparently ran a sophisticated operation to persuade voters to let her gather, and in some cases, fill out their ballots.

66-year-old Guillermina Fuentes and a second woman were indicted in December 2020 on one count of ballot abuse, a practice commonly known as “ballot harvesting”.

Fuentes is accused of collecting ballots during the 2020 primary election in violation of the law that only allows a caregiver or family member to return someone else’s early ballot, and in some cases filling them out.

The records show that fewer than a dozen ballots could be linked to fuentes. It is the only case ever brought by the Attorney General under a 2016 law, which was upheld by the U.S. Supreme court.

Investigators said it appears she used her position as a powerful figure in the heavily Mexican American community to get people to give her or others their ballots to return to the polls.

The alleged illegal ballot collection by Fuentes and her co-defendant, ALma Juarez, happened in plain sight outside a cultural center in San Luis on the day of the primary election.

Fuentes will be in court Thursday morning at Yuma County Superior Court where she may change her not guilty plea. Alma juarez awaits sentencing in two weeks after pleading guilty to a reduced charge several months ago.

Stay tuned on KYMA.com for full coverage of her hearing.