Election workers on a Sunday morning ballot pickup in downtown Los Angeles were met with a sight that makes every election official cringe: several mail-in ballots that had been burned inside an official ballot drop box outside the county's Department of Public Social Services. The discovery, coming just days before the June 2 primary, triggered an immediate review by election officials and a call to law enforcement. County staff says they are working to identify any voters whose ballots may have been affected and to determine whether replacement ballots are needed.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the ballots "appeared to have sustained fire-related damage inside an Official Ballot Drop Box," and election staff filed a police report after finding them during a routine pick-up outside the DPSS building in the Civic Center. The county release also points to a second, separate instance of election-related vandalism at a voting center in Long Beach at César E. Chávez Park.
“Our responsibility is to protect voters and ensure every eligible voter has the opportunity to cast a ballot,” Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan said in the county release, adding that “any attempt to interfere with voting or election operations is taken seriously.” The office says it will work with law enforcement and other partners to safeguard the voting process and will contact voters whose ballots may have been impacted with information about replacement options. Los Angeles Times
How drop boxes are collected and secured
Los Angeles County says official drop boxes are collected on a regular schedule under dual custody and are available to voters beginning 29 days before election day, with boxes closing at 8 p.m. on election day. For locations, collection schedules, and ballot-status tools, election officials direct voters to the county registrar's website. Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk
Why are officials especially alert
Officials note this is not the first time drop boxes in the region have been targeted. In 2020, a ballot drop box outside the Baldwin Park library was set on fire, and investigators treated the case as suspected arson; many of those ballots were recovered, and election staff worked to notify affected voters. ABC7
What voters should do
Voters who dropped off ballots in recent days and are worried about the status of their vote can use tracking tools on the county registrar's site and contact the office for guidance on replacement options. The registrar's office says it will reach out directly to any voters whose ballots may have been damaged; the county's website also lists drop box locations and explains how to confirm a ballot's receipt. lavote.gov
Investigations remain underway, and authorities have not announced any arrests. Election officials emphasized that the system includes multiple safeguards, such as hardened boxes, dual-custody collection, and camera surveillance at some locations, designed to protect ballots and preserve voter confidence as the primary approaches.
