Election officials are investigating the possibility of attempted election interference after mail-in ballots were burned in an official drop box and vandalism was discovered at a vote center.
Staff with the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s office discovered a small number of Vote by Mail ballots with fire damage inside an official ballot drop box at the Department of Public Social Services-Civic Center in downtown Los Angeles, the registrar’s office said.
In a separate incident, vandalism was found at the vote center at Cesar E. Chavez Park in Long Beach on Sunday. Officials did not specify what the vandalism was, but said election workers responded promptly and voting operations continued without disruption.
The Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s office said police have been notified about the vandalism and election workers are looking to identify any voters who may have had their ballots burned.
“Our responsibility is to protect voters and ensure every eligible voter has the opportunity to cast a ballot,” Dean Logan, Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, said in a statement. “Any attempt to interfere with voting or election operations is taken seriously. We will continue working closely with law enforcement and other partners to safeguard the voting process and ensure voters can participate with confidence.”
Following the two incidents, Logan’s office issued a reminder that any attempt to disrupt the voting process will be prosecuted to the fullest extent possible.