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A mailbox in central Phoenix containing 20 ballots was set on fire early Thursday morning, according to authorities.

The ballots, which had been placed inside the box at the intersection of 7th Avenue and Indian School Road, were damaged due to the fire, according to ABC 15 Arizona. It remains unclear whether the motive was related to the election, the New York Post reported.

When The Post physically checked the scene Thursday morning, the mail drop box appeared to be missing, with only one of the usual two remaining.

A suspect was arrested Thursday afternoon, according to Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, who thanked authorities for “swift action.”

“An unknown individual arrived early Thursday to the United States Post Office, located at 3905 North 7th Avenue and lit a fire inside the blue drive-up collection mailbox. The Phoenix Fire Department responded, firefighters forced the box open and extinguished the fire,” the department told The Post.

“Approximately 20 electoral ballots were damaged, along with additional miscellaneous mail. The Postal Inspector took possession of the damaged ballots and mail. The Phoenix Fire Investigations Task Force, which includes Phoenix Police detectives and Phoenix Fire investigators, are working with US Postal Inspectors,” the department’s statement added.

Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer advised The Post that individuals who recently dropped off their ballots at the mailbox should ensure their votes are received.

“We are waiting for details from law enforcement. We encourage all voters who used that mailbox in the last 36 hours to check the status of their ballots at BeBallotReady.Vote. Successful delivery is usually reflected on that website within 72 hours,” he said. “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 Request.Maricopa.Vote.”

Arizona is a fiercely contested swing state, with former President Donald Trump holding a rally in Tempe on Thursday. According to the latest Marist College poll, he leads Vice President Kamala Harris by 1 point, The Post noted.

Democratic vice-presidential nominee Tim Walz is set to visit the Grand Canyon State on Saturday, while his Republican counterpart, J.D. Vance, held rallies for voters in Tucson and Peoria on Tuesday.

An MSNBC correspondent reporting last week from Mojave County seemed stunned to learn that not a single person voting early there cast a ballot for Vice President Kamala Harris.

“We did not find a single person who audibly would tell us that they voted for Kamala. These were Trump supporters getting out to vote early in the all-important Mojave County,” he said.

Some voters interviewed by MSNBC expressed their reasons for voting early. For a number of them, this marked their first instance of casting their vote before Election Day, and they attributed this decision to Trump’s direct call to action.

“Honestly, because Donald Trump told me to,” one voter said.

Another voter who did not cast a ballot in 2020 said their motivation for voting this time around was the current trajectory of the nation.

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Earlier this week, Trump acknowledged that Arizona had begun its early voting period and thanked residents for turning out on his recommendation.

“THANK YOU, ARIZONA! Early voting by mail and in-person opened in Arizona earlier this week—so if you have a ballot, return it immediately, and if not, GO VOTE the minute the polls open tomorrow, and get everyone you know to cast their ballots for Trump and Republicans at every level!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “With your help, 23 days from now, we are going to WIN Arizona, we are going to defeat Kamala Harris, and we are going to usher in a new Golden Age of American Success for citizens of every race, religion, color, and creed! swampthevoteusa.com.”

The post Ballots Burned In Mailbox Two Weeks Before Election: Report appeared first on Conservative Brief.