Is your ballot safe? Sacramento County elections officials have answers
Sacramento County elections officials responded to concerns about the security of mail-in ballots for November’s special statewide Proposition 50 election, assuring residents that their votes are safe.
Small holes in the back and at the beginning and end of the signature line of the pink envelopes voters use to mail back ballots concerned some voters. They questioned whether someone may be able to see how they cast their vote for the statewide redistricting measure if their ink-filled oval lined up with the perforation.
The short answer was no, said elections officials. The remedy and the reason for the tiny holes are easy to explain, Janna Haynes, a spokesperson for Sacramento County Voter Registration and Elections, said in a video posted to social media. The holes, she said, are both a sign for election workers tallying ballots and a tool for visually impaired voters.
“The reason these holes are here is two-fold,” Haynes said on the video, pointing to the holes on either side of the signature line on the front of the envelope. “For people who are visually impaired, the holes give them the start and the end of the (signature) line. It’s incredibly important for accessiblilty that the holes are there.”
The hole on the back of the envelope, Haynes explained, is for elections workers processing ballots on election night and beyond.
“When we pull the ballot out (of the envelope), you can see that the envelope is empty and that we’re counting every vote,” she said.
With just Proposition 50 on the November ballot, Haynes recommended a simple fix to keep votes hidden: Fold the ballot. The opposite side of the ballot is intentionally left blank.
“You can fold it the opposite direction and have a blank page so that no one can see anything on you ballot envelope,” she said.
Mail your ballot early or drop it off
Election day statewide is Nov. 4, but voters — especially in rural areas — shouldn’t wait for Election Day to drop their ballots in the mail.
State elections officials issued a separate warning earlier this month that ballots dropped in mailboxes on Nov. 4 may not be counted due to U.S. Postal Service delays.
Attorney General Rob Bonta and Secretary of State Shirley Weber urged voters who live more than 50 miles from six regional mail processing centers — including one in West Sacramento — to mail their ballots early or drop them off in person. Ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 4 to be counted.
“If you choose to drop off your ballot at a post office on Election Day, ask at the counter for a postmark to ensure you get credit for mailing your ballot on time,” Bonta said in a statement. “And remember: You have other options, like dropping your ballot off at a vote center or in a secure drop box.”
Sacramento County has opened 31 vote centers for the election and more than 60 drop boxes — in spots like city halls in Folsom, Elk Grove and Sacramento and libraries across the county. A full list is available in an interactive map. Similar voting locations and drop boxes are available in El Dorado, Placer and Yolo counties, accoridng to election officials.
Ballots in the four-county capital region are processed through the Yolo County facility, meaning voters in Sacramento, Yolo, Placer and El Dorado counties are less likely to be affected by the delays. Still, Weber encouraged all voters to return their ballots as early as possible to ensure they are counted.
This story was originally published October 10, 2025 at 12:07 PM.
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