Prosecutors Seek Prison for Former Dem Mayor Caught Ballot Harvesting in 2020 Race

Arizona prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence for a former Democrat mayor who has pleaded guilty to ballot harvesting in the 2020 primary election.

Former San Luis, Arizona, Mayor Guillermina Fuentes, a major local Democrat operative, pleaded guilty last month to felony ballot harvesting after having been indicted in December 2020. Another Democrat operative, Alma Juarez, was also indicted at the time and pleaded guilty in March of this year.

Ballot harvesting is where political operatives collect ballots from voters and turn them in on their behalf. Arizona officials made ballot harvesting illegal in 2016.

Now, Fuentes’ sentencing is set for September 1. Prosecutors are requesting the court hand down a one-year prison term. In the harshest circumstance, Fuentes is facing two years in prison.

Prosecutors accused Fuentes of collecting and filling out ballots from voters as part of the scheme. In some cases, prosecutors allege that Fuentes paid voters to let her collect their ballots.