ELECTIONS OFFICE: NO REPORTS OF UNOFFICIAL BALLOT BOXES
The state Republican Party has deployed unofficial ballot boxes in three California counties against state elections laws, but Humboldt County voters can rest assured that the same hasn’t happened here, according to the county Office of Elections.
“I have not had anything reported to me that there are unofficial ballot boxes in Humboldt County,” said County Registrar of Voters Kelly Sanders.
In a news conference Monday, Secretary of State Alex Padilla said they had received reports of the state Republican Party and county Republican parties deploying unofficial ballot boxes in Fresno, Los Angeles and Orange counties with signage implying they were official.
“Only official drop boxes can be used to collect your vote,” Padilla said. “Please make sure that whatever you do to fill out your ballot that when you are going to deposit it — if you’re not mailing it in — if you’re going to deposit it, that you know for a fact that you are sending your ballot, you’re depositing your ballot, in an official drop box.”
The state Republican Party released a statement that it was engaging in legal ballot harvesting and Democrats have engaged in similar behavior in the past.
“In California, where you can have convicted felons and individuals with a criminal history go door to door and collect ballots from voters, Democrats are now upset because organizations, individuals and groups are offering an opportunity for their friends, family, and patrons to drop off their ballot with someone they know and trust,” Hector Barajas, spokesperson for the California Republican Party, said in a statement. “The Democrat anger is overblown when state law allows organizations, volunteers or campaign workers to collect completed ballots and drop them off at polling places or election offices.”
A cease-and-desist letter from state Attorney General Xavier Becerra includes attachments showing some of the unofficial drop boxes were labeled with signs stating “Official Ballot Drop Off Box.”
The Humboldt County Republican Party was unavailable for comment by publication time.
All of the official drop boxes are listed on Humboldt County and the Secretary of State’s websites. Sanders said all of the ones in the field look identical to each other.
“So if they’re not in one of those locations and they’re not one of our boxes, but say official ballot drop box on them, then I would not utilize those boxes,” Sanders said. “They’re not secure, they’re not managed by the Elections department.”
There are nine official ballot drop boxes in Humboldt County that will be sealed at 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3:
• Humboldt County Office of Elections at 2426 Sixth St., Eureka
• Ray’s Food Place at 38915 State Route 299, Willow Creek
• Murphy’s Market at 1 Main St., Trinidad
• Murphy’s Market at 1451 Glendale Dr., McKinleyville
• Ace Hardware at 2725 Central Ave., McKinleyville
• Murphy’s Market at 100 Westwood Center, Alliance Rd., Arcata
• Murphy’s Market at 785 Bayside Road, Arcata
• Murphy’s Market at 4020 Walnut Dr., Cutten
• Ray’s Food Place at 2009 Main St., Fortuna
• ShopSmart at 3430 Redwood Dr., Redway
Voters who notice any suspicious activity around ballot drop boxes should report it to the county Elections Office at 707-445-7593 or the Secretary of State’s Office at 1-800-345-VOTE or votesure@sos.ca.gov.
Voters can sign up for notifications at wheresmyballot.sos. ca.gov to find out when their ballot has been received, counted and if there are any issues.
Sanders encouraged people who are voting by mail to get their ballots in early.
“Because the vote-by-mail ballots that come prior to Election Day are processed early and they are the first results reported on Election Night,” Sanders said. “That will cut down the lines at the voter assistance centers.”
Voter assistance centers will be open at multiple locations throughout the county for four days beginning Oct. 31.