California’s Secretary of State, Shirley Weber, has issued a warning to voters about misleading text messages regarding the status of their ballots for the ongoing special election on redistricting. Many voters have received inaccurate notifications from a service called Ballot Now, which falsely suggests that their ballots have not been counted. Weber emphasized that these messages were not authorized by her office or local election officials.
“Our office has received numerous reports from voters that they have received inaccurate text messages from Ballot Now. This has caused voters to believe their returned ballots have not been received or processed by county elections officials,” Weber stated. She made it clear that Ballot Now has no affiliation with the California Office of the Secretary of State.
Weber urged voters to consult official sources for reliable information regarding their ballot status. The most accurate resources can be found on the Secretary of State’s website at www.sos.ca.gov or through local county registrars’ offices. Voters wishing to track their ballots can register at california.ballottrax.net, which is recommended by the Secretary of State. Additionally, they can check their voter status at voterstatus.sos.ca.gov. For further inquiries, a toll-free voter hotline is available at 800-345-8683, with services provided in multiple languages.
“We urge Californians to only trust information shared by my office or their county registrar of voters’ office,” Weber continued, reinforcing the importance of verified communication.
Concerns have also been raised regarding the potential implications of these misleading messages. When asked whether any election laws might have been violated, Weber’s office stated that they are still investigating the intent behind the Ballot Now communications. Neither the Secretary of State’s office nor the California Attorney General’s office has confirmed if there will be any legal action taken in response to the situation.
This is not the first time Weber has had to address misinformation during this election cycle. Earlier this month, she clarified the purpose of small holes found in some vote-by-mail ballot envelopes, which are intended to assist visually impaired voters. These holes were mistakenly claimed on social media to be a method for facilitating electoral fraud.
Voting in the statewide special election commenced earlier this month and will continue until November 4, 2023. As of the latest reports, over 5.5 million Californians have already cast their ballots. The election includes a critical decision for voters on whether to approve Proposition 50, which seeks to implement newly drawn partisan congressional maps. If passed, these maps could lead to a potential gain of five additional seats for Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives, a move that supporters argue counters similar redistricting efforts in other states.
As the election draws near, both proponents and opponents of Proposition 50 are focusing on maximizing voter turnout to influence the outcome. The implications of this election extend beyond California, as national parties eye the results in the context of upcoming midterm elections.
