On the eve of California's primary, a Belmont voter says she walked into an unlocked vote center, found no one inside and left worried enough about ballot security that she turned her ballot over to police instead of the county.
Sunday evening, the voter went to the Notre Dame de Namur University vote center in Belmont to drop off her ballot and found the voting room empty even though the doors were open and a "Vote Here" banner was still hanging outside. Expecting staff to be on site, she walked around the building for about 10 minutes, then left with her ballot and later brought it to the Belmont Police Department.
Voter Reports Empty Center; County Says Materials Were Secure
According to ABC7, the voter arrived around 6 PM, about an hour after the Belmont vote center's scheduled 5 PM closing time, and emailed the county's chief elections officer to report what she described as an unmanned site. The county told ABC7 that vote center staff and supervisory staff reviewed the complaint and confirmed that ballots, voting equipment and other election materials were secure and not compromised. The office also told ABC7 that the Notre Dame location is not operated by the county and that campus security is responsible for locking the building each night.
Local Reporting Details Who Locks Up and What Happens to Ballots
The Palo Alto Daily Post published a video of the empty Taube Center and identified the site as Notre Dame de Namur University's Belmont campus. The Post reported that employees collected ballots at closing time and took them to the county elections office after 5 PM that night. Jim Irizarry, a deputy in the elections office, told the Post that NDNU security opens and closes the center for staff and that election supplies are stored in locked, military-grade cabinets overnight. Local officials told the Post that even if ballots were not left exposed, leaving the building unlocked risks eroding public confidence just before the primary.
Separate Incidents Add To Election Jitters
The Belmont episode is unfolding as unrelated problems in Los Angeles County have already put voters on edge. Over the weekend, a small number of ballots were found burned in a drop box and a Long Beach vote center was vandalized, according to ABC News. County officials said police were notified and that the incidents appear to have affected only a limited number of ballots, but the discoveries highlight why even seemingly minor lapses draw intense scrutiny. Election and law enforcement officials stressed that any interference with voting operations is treated as a serious matter.
What Officials Say Voters Should Do
San Mateo County maintains a searchable list of open vote centers and ballot drop boxes so residents can confirm locations and hours before heading out, according to San Mateo County Registration & Elections. State outlets such as KQED also advise against dropping a ballot in the mail on Election Day and instead recommend using an official drop box or a staffed vote center to make sure the ballot is counted. If you encounter what appears to be an unmanned voting site, officials say you should contact your county elections office or local police for guidance.
Politics, Accountability And The Election Chief’s Race
San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa, who is also a candidate in a contest for the elections office, told reporters that the episode raises questions about whether this was a one-time oversight or a sign of broader mismanagement. His comments, as reported in local coverage, called for an explanation and clearer procedures to secure vote centers after hours. County officials told ABC7 that when crews checked the site the next day, the center was locked after hours.
Officials say there is no indication that ballots were tampered with in Belmont, but the incident has fed broader anxieties about ballot security in the run-up to the June 2 primary. Voters with immediate concerns can use the county's vote center lookup tool or contact the Belmont Police Department for help, according to San Mateo County Registration & Elections.
