Overview

• Secretary of State Shirley Weber said the small punched holes are accessibility and processing features that do not reveal how anyone voted.
• Weber advised voters to insert or fold ballots so markings are hidden, return ballots in a way that obscures choices, use early voting sites opening later this month, or vote in person on Nov. 4.
• A widely viewed Libs of TikTok post alleging that “NO” votes show through the envelope was amplified by high-profile conservatives, including a retweet by Sen. Ted Cruz and a call by Steve Hilton to suspend the election.
• Election officials and Republican leaders shared demonstrations on placing ballots to prevent any visibility, and some counties do not use hole-punched envelopes, including Orange County.
• The flare-up follows an acknowledged error in the mailed voter guide, and statewide returns are underway with nearly 600,000 ballots received as of Monday evening.