LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Dean C. Logan announced that as the RR/CC prepares for Election Day on June 2, Los Angeles County is reminding the public that any attempt to disrupt voting, damage election infrastructure, interfere with voters, or vandalize election facilities will not be tolerated and the County will pursue full enforcement of prohibitions of such activity.
Los Angeles County takes all incidents involving election operations and materials seriously and will report, refer, and fully cooperate with law enforcement and other appropriate authorities when warranted. State and federal laws provide criminal penalties for individuals who intentionally tamper with ballots, election materials, voting equipment, or election facilities.
“Voting is a fundamental right, and Los Angeles County remains committed to ensuring every eligible voter can cast a ballot safely and confidently,” said Los Angeles County Board Chair and First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis. “Any attempt to vandalize election facilities, damage voting materials, or interfere with the voting process is unacceptable. We take these incidents seriously and will continue working with election officials and law enforcement partners to protect voters and uphold the integrity of our elections.”
This reminder comes following two separate incidents currently under review by the Department.
On Sunday morning, vandalism was discovered at the Vote Center at Cesar E. Chavez Park. Election Workers and officials responded immediately, and voting operations were not disrupted.
Separately, during routine ballot collection procedures, RR/CC staff identified a limited number of Vote by Mail ballots that appeared to have sustained fire-related damage inside an Official Ballot Drop Box at the Department of Public Social Services-Civic Center. Preliminary information indicates the incident was isolated and involved a small number of ballots, as it occurred between the most recent scheduled collection and the following morning’s retrieval. The RR/CC has filed a report with the Los Angeles Police Department and will fully cooperate with any investigation into the cause and circumstances of the incident.
The RR/CC is carefully reviewing both incidents and working to identify any voters who may have been affected. Voters whose ballots may have been impacted by the Drop Box incident will be contacted directly and provided information about available options, including replacement ballots if necessary.
“Our responsibility is to protect voters and ensure every eligible voter has the opportunity to cast a ballot,” said Dean Logan, Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. “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.”
Voters are encouraged to report suspicious activity involving election materials, election facilities, or voting operations to the RR/CC at (800) 815-2666, option 2.