Los Angeles County officials said fire-damaged ballots were found in a downtown Los Angeles drop box and a separate vote center was vandalized in Long Beach, with voting continuing as investigators review both incidents.
Los Angeles County election officials are investigating two separate election-related incidents reported just days before the June 2 primary: fire-damaged mail ballots found in a downtown Los Angeles drop box and vandalism at a vote center in Long Beach.
The incidents were reported by local outlets on Sunday, May 31, and confirmed in reporting from multiple news organizations. Officials said voting continued.
The Los Angeles Times reported that election workers found burned mail ballots in an official ballot drop box in downtown Los Angeles. A separate incident involved vandalism at a vote center in Long Beach, according to CBS Los Angeles and ABC7 Los Angeles.
Los Angeles County officials said the incidents were under investigation. At this stage, authorities have not said who was responsible, how many ballots were damaged or whether the two cases are connected.
The timing gives the episode immediate election-security significance: it comes just ahead of election day, when county officials are asking voters to keep using normal voting locations and ballot drop boxes.
The county’s election website says vote centers and ballot drop boxes remain open for the June 2 election.
Revision note
Initial automated publication.