Just days before the June 2 California primary, Los Angeles County election officials responded to two separate physical security incidents over the same weekend.
On Sunday morning, May 31, election workers retrieving ballots from a downtown Los Angeles ballot drop box found that some of the ballots had sustained fire-related damage. In a separate incident, election workers discovered a shattered window at a vote center in Long Beach.
According to L.A. County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Dean Logan, staff immediately followed established response procedures. The vote center opened on time with no disruptions to voting. Long Beach police determined that the broken window, which opened into an exterior storage room, was an isolated act with no connection to the election.
In reviewing the drop box incident, officials noted that the heavy-gauge steel construction and baffled design of the drop box contained the fire and limited the damage. Election officials secured the affected ballots, maintained the chain of custody, and began contacting voters to issue replacement ballots or direct them to in-person voting options. Because pickup from the drop box is frequent, only a small number of ballots were affected.
L.A. County Board Chair Hilda Solis underlined potential criminal penalties and ongoing cooperation with law enforcement as the investigation into the incidents continues.
While neither incident appears to have had a significant impact on voting operations, both provided a real-world test of existing security controls, contingency procedures, and response plans. In each case, election officials identified the issue, coordinated with law enforcement, followed established protocols, and continued operations without interrupting voting.
Key Takeaways for Election Officials
- Security controls should be built on the assumption that incidents will occur. Use surveillance systems, chain-of-custody, and response plans to limit the impact when something does happen, ensuring election operations can continue and minimizing disruption to voters.
- Investigate before reacting. Not every incident at a voting location is an attack on the election process. Coordinating quickly with law enforcement helps establish the facts, supports appropriate public messaging, and prevents unnecessary speculation. Build those relationships before you need them.
- Clear communication builds confidence. By explaining what happened, describing the safeguards in place, and outlining the steps taken to protect voters, election officials can reduce confusion and maintain public trust. Develop ready-to-use public communications that explain security features and ballot replacement procedures.
- Regular pick-ups limit impact. Frequent ballot collections from drop boxes, especially during the final high-volume days before Election Day, reduce the amount of time ballots are at risk and allow election officials to identify and respond to problems quickly. Evaluate collection schedules to ensure timely retrieval and monitoring of drop boxes.
The Situation Room focuses on real security incidents and threats in the news relevant to election security. To review previous issues, see the newsletter archive.