Here’s a clean rewrite under 700 words, with the key distinction that the theft is confirmed but officials have not found evidence that ballots were specifically targeted.
Federal authorities are investigating after mail containing an unknown number of vote-by-mail ballots was stolen from a California post office less than three weeks before the November 3 midterm elections, prompting officials to urge potentially affected voters to check the status of their ballots.
The San Mateo County Registration and Elections Division said it was notified October 14 about a mail theft at a post office in Daly City that reportedly included ballots sent to county voters, the New York Post reported.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is investigating the incident, while county election officials are working with the U.S. Postal Service to determine how many ballots may have been affected.
Officials have not determined exactly how many ballots were taken, and there is currently no evidence establishing that the thieves specifically targeted election mail rather than stealing a larger collection of mail that happened to contain ballots.
San Mateo County Assistant Chief Elections Officer Jim Irizarry said officials do not currently have reason to believe the incident was an intentional attempt to interfere with the election.
“Unfortunately, mail theft does occur,” Irizarry told ABC7, adding that county officials continue to consider voting by mail “very safe” and convenient while reminding residents that they can also vote at county vote centers.
The incident nevertheless comes at a sensitive time, with ballots already being distributed and returned across California ahead of the November election.
San Mateo County officials are encouraging voters to use California’s “Where’s My Ballot” tracking system, which provides notifications when a ballot is mailed, received and processed by election officials.
Voters who believe their ballots may have been caught up in the theft can request replacements online through October 27 or obtain replacement ballots in person at any San Mateo County vote center.
Election officials stressed that receiving a replacement does not allow someone to cast multiple ballots because each vote-by-mail ballot is linked to an individual voter and the county’s processing system is designed to prevent duplicate ballots from being counted.
“Each Vote-by-Mail ballot is associated with an individual voter, and ballot processing safeguards prevent duplicate ballots from being counted for the same voter,” the Elections Division said.
The theft has renewed attention on the security of mail voting in California, where registered voters are automatically mailed ballots and millions of voters are expected to cast them before Election Day.
The state and counties use several safeguards for mailed ballots, including voter-specific envelopes and signature verification before a ballot can be accepted for counting.
In San Mateo County, election workers compare the signature on a returned ballot envelope with signatures contained in the voter’s registration record or other government records before separating the ballot from the envelope and scanning it.
The latest theft is not the first time California ballots have been caught up in stolen mail, including an incident earlier this year in Santa Clara County in which more than two dozen ballots were discovered among recovered stolen mail.
San Mateo County also dealt with reports of possible ballot theft during the 2025 special election after five voters in the Emerald Hills neighborhood of Redwood City reported that ballots may have disappeared during mailbox thefts.
Those incidents have fueled concerns about whether widespread reliance on mailed ballots creates opportunities for ballots to be lost or stolen before reaching voters or election offices, although documented mail-ballot fraud remains rare and ballot theft by itself does not establish that fraudulent votes were cast.
The distinction is significant in the Daly City investigation because authorities have confirmed a mail theft involving ballots but have not announced evidence that anyone attempted to complete, return or fraudulently cast any of the stolen ballots.
Election officials said voters concerned about the incident can protect themselves by tracking their ballots and requesting replacements if their original ballot does not arrive or appears to have been affected.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
