{"id":16714,"date":"2025-10-12T14:03:09","date_gmt":"2025-10-12T14:03:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cndailynews.store\/?p=16714"},"modified":"2025-10-12T14:03:09","modified_gmt":"2025-10-12T14:03:09","slug":"mail-in-ballot-envelopes-draw-scrutiny-in-newsom-backed-redistricting-effort","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cndailynews.store\/?p=16714","title":{"rendered":"Mail-In Ballot Envelopes Draw Scrutiny In Newsom-Backed Redistricting Effort"},"content":{"rendered":"
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This article may contain commentary
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Mail-in ballots are arriving across Sacramento County for the Proposition 50 special election, and some voters say they\u2019ve noticed something that worries them \u2014 small holes in their ballot envelopes.<\/p>\n

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Allen Wegat, one of those voters, said the holes could allow someone to see or even tamper with his vote, CBS News\u00a0reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf someone were unscrupulous and didn\u2019t like how I voted, they could double-mark it, which would invalidate my vote,\u201d Wegat said. \u201cIt makes it too easy for bad actors.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sacramento County\u2019s vote-by-mail envelope design includes small circular holes on each side. When the ballot inside is folded a certain way, the marked bubble for Proposition 50 could become faintly visible through those holes.<\/p>\n

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Ken Casparis, spokesperson for the Sacramento County Registrar of Voters, said election integrity is not at risk and the holes serve a legitimate purpose.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe back of the card is left blank,\u201d Casparis explained. \u201cJust fold it, you\u2019ve got nothing on either side of this, stick it in your ballot envelope.\u201d<\/p>\n

Election officials say the holes are not new and are standard practice across California. They\u2019ve been part of the envelope design for years to help workers verify that envelopes are empty after processing and to assist visually impaired voters in locating where to sign.<\/p>\n

Casparis said there are several ways to insert a ballot card into the envelope, and only a couple of those would make any markings visible. He said anyone concerned about privacy can simply fold the ballot so the blank back side faces outward before sealing it.<\/p>\n

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The Registrar\u2019s Office said it has received a handful of emails this week from voters raising concerns about the holes. Officials said they understand the sensitivity but stress that no voter\u2019s selection can be clearly identified through them.<\/p>\n