California Republicans are so concerned about voter fraud that they’re flagrantly breaking election laws. They’re promoting “official ballot drop off boxes” that are not only not official, they’re illegal. Republicans are promoting the “official” drop boxes on social media, with the boxes reportedly located at churches, gun stores, and candidate campaign offices in at least three counties.
Republicans have claimed that the practice is legal under a 2016 California law that allows people to designate a person to drop off their ballots—a benefit to people who have disabilities or are elderly or otherwise might not be able to return their ballots in person. Republicans actually sued to overturn this law, but now they say it allows their unofficial drop boxes. Except it doesn’t. Leaving a ballot in an unsecured box does not equal giving it to a designated person.
“Operating unofficial ballot drop boxes—especially those misrepresented as official drop boxes—is not just misleading to voters, it’s a violation of state law,” California Secretary of State Alex Padilla told The Washington Post in an email. “My office is coordinating with local officials to address the multiple reports of unauthorized ballot drop boxes. Californians should only use official ballot drop boxes that have been deployed and secured by their county elections office.” Continue reading.