Federal postal inspectors are investigating a mail theft in College Glen, where residents say ballots they were expecting have not arrived
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Federal postal inspectors are investigating a mail theft in Sacramento’s College Glen neighborhood that may have involved election ballots, just one day after Sacramento County began mailing ballots for the November election.
The theft happened Tuesday, Oct. 6, around 2:30 p.m., according to U.S. Postal Inspector Jonathan Lanning.
Surveillance video captured a gray SUV pulling alongside a postal vehicle before a masked person got out, opened the vehicle’s sliding door and removed trays of mail.
“Mail was stolen and there may have been ballots affected by the theft,” Lanning told KCRA 3.
For Mary Brown, who lives in the neighborhood, the timing raised immediate concerns.
Brown said she had been expecting ballots for her great-grandchildren. According to her USPS Informed Delivery notifications, the mail was supposed to arrive that day.
“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.”
Brown said she initially noticed something was wrong when mail she was collecting for a neighbor did not arrive. She later learned about the theft through a neighborhood app.
Kathleen Vasquez, another resident, said she reached out to Brown after hearing what happened.
Vasquez said she was also waiting for ballots for members of her family.
Brown began asking neighbors whether they had received their ballots and said she personally knew of five or six people who were still waiting.
“I was panicked because they weren’t going to be able to vote,” Brown said.
Ken Casparis, with the Sacramento County elections office, said voters who do not receive their ballots can request replacements.
“You can contact our office to request a replacement ballot,” Casparis said. “You can do that either by phone or email. And we’ll go ahead and reissue your ballot for you.”
Casparis said the county counts only the first ballot it receives with a valid signature matching the voter’s record.
Postal inspectors are encouraging residents to track their ballots through the California Secretary of State’s website to confirm when ballots are mailed and accepted by county election officials. Anyone who believes their ballot was stolen should contact their county elections office immediately.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.
Anyone with information about the theft is asked to call postal inspectors at 1-877-876-2455.
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