Hundreds of Ballots Found Unsecured at Los Angeles Homeless Shelter

Hundreds of election ballots were discovered in an unsecured hallway at The Midnight Mission, a homeless shelter in downtown Los Angeles, an investigation by the California Post revealed. The shelter serves as a registered address for more than 1,100 voters.

The discovery occurred ahead of the Nov. 3 election, and a photograph of the ballots was authenticated by The Post, which also confirmed the scene during an on-site visit on October 13.

This incident follows a June investigation by The Post that identified over 7,600 voter registrations linked to homeless shelters and service providers across Los Angeles, including facilities that do not provide overnight accommodations.

Georgia Hawley, chief communications officer for The Midnight Mission, stated that the organization's standard procedure is to keep election ballots secured behind locked doors until they are distributed to the intended recipients. "I personally confirmed that ballots were being stored securely when I visited our mail center," Hawley told The Post.

She explained that due to limited mailroom space, deliveries are received, sorted, and distributed throughout the day.

U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli confirmed that federal authorities are investigating matters related to election ballots in Los Angeles but declined to comment specifically on The Midnight Mission.

Republican congressional candidate Scott Meyers criticized the handling of election mail, suggesting that ballots are being treated too casually. He also indicated that similar issues, with ballots left unattended in apartment building lobbies, extend beyond homeless shelters and attributed blame to the U.S. Postal Service for inadequate security.

Nico Ruderman, a Venice Neighborhood Council member, described the discovery as disappointing but not surprising. "Even if there is no fraud, there is a perception," Ruderman said, emphasizing the importance of public confidence in elections. He advocated for significant election reform in California to address doubts, regardless of whether wrongdoing is established.

Previous reporting by The Post highlighted issues at facilities like the St. Joseph Center in Venice, where 185 registered voters were linked to a day-use facility. Resident Susan Collins also raised concerns about the potential for abuse of ballot collection laws, specifically mentioning the Democratic Socialists of America.

California law permits voters to authorize another person to return their completed mail ballots, provided state election regulations are followed. Election law attorney Garrett Fahy has previously noted that such provisions are part of California's efforts to ensure broad voting access.