Politics

Merced County officials warn voters of possible unofficial ballot drop boxes

The Merced County Elections Office is warning voters of groups promoting unofficial, illegal ballot drop boxes.

Thursday, October 15, 2020

California officials say unofficial ballot boxes are illegal

Boxes were reported in Fresno, Los Angeles and Orange counties at locations including political party offices, candidate headquarters and churches.

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Merced County Elections Office warned voters of groups promoting unofficial, illegal ballot drop boxes on Thursday morning.

Officials say they had received reports of people claiming the unofficial boxes are "secure" and "official." The elections office said the only legitimate drop boxes would have a Merced County Elections Office logo on the outside.

Elections officials say they have not found any of the unofficial drop boxes around the county but are urging voters to only use boxes at one of the following locations:

City of Atwater: 750 Bellevue Road, Atwater, CA 95301

City of Dos Palos: 2174 Blossom Street, Dos Palos, CA 93620

City of Gustine: 352 Fifth Street, Gustine, CA 95322

City of Livingston: 1416 C Street, Livingston, CA 95334

City of Los Banos: 520 J Street, Los Banos, CA 93635

City of Merced: 678 West 18th Street, Merced, CA 95340

County Administration Building: 2222 M Street, Merced, CA 95340

Los Banos Community Center: 645 7th Street, Los Banos, CA 93635

The warning comes after unofficial and illegal drop boxes were placed in several counties across the state, including Fresno County, by Republican parties in those counties.

The collection bins were not authorized by any elections office and, in some cases, were simple cardboard boxes with no locking security mechanism.

California's chief elections official on Monday ordered Republicans to remove the boxes. Meanwhile, the Fresno County District Attorney's Office said it would review complaints and investigate the boxes that appeared within Fresno County.

For more information from the Merced County Elections Office, click here.

Editor's Note: The video above is from a previous broadcast.

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