Video: A truck destroys voters’ ballot boxes in Aurora

AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) — Suspicions have emerged in Aurora as to why a construction truck demolished a voters’ ballot drop box just one week before the Nov. 7 election.

The fund is located at 1585 Kingston near Colfax Avenue.

Adams County Clerk and Recorder Josh Ziegelbaum told FOX31 the incident is under investigation and provided troubleshooters with a video showing what happened.

“A dump truck was pulling away from where she was working and hit the box,” Ziegelbaum said.

Dr. Thomas Mayes is president of the Greater Denver Metro Ministerial Alliance, pastor of the adjacent Living Water Christian Center and an at-large candidate for Aurora City Council. Mayes told FOX31 his first reaction when he learned the box had been hit was suspicion.

“I take it personal, because this ballot box is at my church, my name is on the front of the church, my name is on the ballot. It seems to me like it’s a form of intimidation,” Mayes said.

FOX31 shared the information provided by the county clerk and showed Mayes the video.

“Well, that evidence needs to be presented to us,” Mayes said, gesturing to the clerk’s office.

Will the ballot box be replaced?

Ziegelbaum told Problem Solvers that making sure every voter has access to an appropriate ballot drop box is a top priority.

He said: “The matter must be serious, as elections are the basis of democracy.”

Other ballot drop boxes are available for residents near East Colfax Avenue and Kingston Avenue.

“Within walking distance, we have two other ballot boxes and a voting center,” Ziegelbaum said.

Mayes said the lack of a ballot drop box at 1585 Kingston Street could impact the election.

“We have a hard time getting people to vote, but then you would ask them to walk a mile in one direction or another to vote — they won’t do that when their main concern is how to vote. They’ll eat and pay the rent,” Mayes said.

Zygielbaum told FOX31 a bipartisan team of election workers will be on hand to collect ballots during the traditional “Souls To The Polls” event Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Clerk and Recorder’s Office had already planned to replace the ballot box with a much larger box. It is scheduled to be installed within the next two months.