FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ/KFSN) — Fresno County voters who used a drop box in Southeast Fresno will want to double-check if their ballots are counted.
The Fresno County Elections Department says a key for the drop box at Fancher Elementary School was left in the lock for over seven hours, leaving the box unsecured with the chance for ballots to be stolen.
Someone found the key at 5:30 pm on Thursday. Officials said it was left in the lock after the box was last serviced at 10 am earlier that day.
Officials say the key and what was inside the drop box were recovered. However, the county did not give exact details on the condition of the materials inside.
Anyone who dropped a ballot off in this box on Thursday should contact the Fresno County Elections Department to ensure their ballot was received.
The affected drop box will be closed until it can be rekeyed. Until that work is completed, voters are asked to use other locations, with the closest being the Sunnyside Library.
The two-person team involved in this incident has been relieved of their ballot drop box servicing duties.
The County Clerk/Registrar of Voters says all other drop box servicing teams will now receive additional training and, effective immediately, will be required to capture photographic records to show that boxes are locked and keys are accounted for.
Officials added this is the first time since they started using ballot drop boxes in 2019 that one has been left unsecured.
You can track your ballot online here.
