Mail Theft in Sacramento Sparks Election Fears Amidst Stolen Ballots
Investigators are examining a daylight mail heist in Sacramento that may have included ballots, raising concerns as Election Day approaches.
A brazen daylight mail theft in Sacramento has ignited fears of election fraud, as officials confirmed that ballots could have been among the stolen mail. The incident occurred around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday in the College Glen neighborhood when a man reportedly used a gray SUV to access a postal truck, making off with trays of mail.
U.S. Postal Inspector Jonathan Lanning stated that mail was stolen and acknowledged the possibility that ballots were affected. "Mail was stolen, and there may have been ballots affected by the theft," Lanning told KCRA.
The theft comes at a critical time, as Sacramento County had recently mailed out ballots for an upcoming election. Local resident Mary Brown reported that a scheduled USPS delivery, which was expected to contain ballots for her great-grandchildren, never arrived. "I looked at my informed mail, and it was supposed to have my great-grandchildren’s ballot,” Brown said. “It was mailed. It should’ve been in my mailbox that day."
Election officials are advising voters who do not receive their ballots to request replacements. Ken Casparis of the Sacramento County elections office explained that voters can contact the office by phone or email to reissue a ballot. He added that only the first ballot received with a voter's valid signature will be counted.
Postal investigators are encouraging voters to monitor their ballot status via the California Secretary of State's website and to report any missing mail. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service has announced a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction in connection with the theft. Anyone with information is asked to contact postal inspectors at 1-877-876-2455.