Completely misleading headline (surprise!)
‘Armed groups of individuals’ reportedly intimidate voters at Lane County ballot drop-off
Authorities said Monday that they were aware of a report of voter intimidation over the weekend in Springfield.
According to a letter sent to multiple media outlets by Mary B. McCord, legal director of Georgetown University Law Center’s Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection, armed groups turned some voters away at a ballot drop box near a water park in Lane County.
“I am writing in response to concerns about voter intimidation by armed groups of individuals in Lane County,” McCord wrote, in her letter to several state and local officials.
“Reports to the Election Protection helpline indicate that voters attempting to deposit their ballots in a drop box at the Lively Park Swim Center were confronted and questioned by groups of armed individuals in military attire blocking their way,” McCord wrote. “Some voters turned away without depositing their ballots.”
In a press conference Monday, state police Superintendent Terrie Davie acknowledged the incident, saying, “There was an incident down in Springfield over the weekend.”
She said local law enforcement was “aware of it and they’re working with the state police in that area and so is the county.”
Springfield police said a Patriotic Trump 2020/Make Oregon RED Rally was held in Lively Park on Sunday.
Willamalane Parks and Recreation District superintendent Michael Wargo said he and four other district staff were at the park and watched the ballot box during the event.
Officials said that while they did see a lack of mask-wearing and social distancing, they did not observe anything that warranted a police call.
Wargo said the rally was held in a pavilion rented out behind the swim park building and that 10 parking spaces were cordoned off around the ballot box in front.
“I was in birds-eye view of the ballot box for 90 percent of the time, and we witnessed no voter intimidation whatsoever,” he said.
He said that the rally was over about 2:55 p.m. and there was about a 20-minute backup of cars leaving the parking lot.
“There were several firearm-carrying people out there, which is legal,” said Lt. Tom Rappe with the Springfield Police Department Monday.
He believes the complaint is related to the fact that one person who was openly carrying a weapon was standing near the entrance to the swim park but, he said, that was not “anywhere close to the ballot box.”
Rappe said there was a police presence at the rally, which he called “a family-type affair” with games for kids, followed by a pro-Trump cruise through Springfield.
When asked if the rally was planned at that location because it also had a ballot box, Rappe said, no.
“They didn’t want that location,” he said.
“They wanted a different location,” he added. “Willamalane actually suggested they go to the swim center.”
https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2020/11/armed-groups-of-individuals-reportedly-intimidate-voters-at-lane-county-ballot-drop-off.html