Dozens of stolen Proposition 50 ballots found in a homeless encampment in Sacramento

Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times on Oct 17, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

Nearly 100 stolen ballots to decide the fate of California's congressional redistricting measure, Proposition 50, were found this week scattered throughout a homeless encampment in Sacramento County, officials said, sparking an investigation.

The ballots for the November special election were found among a large amount of mail and other debris discovered by Sacramento County sheriff's deputies Wednesday. The unused ballots were likely stolen from the mailboxes of voters in Sacramento, according to authorities.

The California ballot measure would change congressional district boundaries and likely shift five more seats to Democrats in the U.S House of Representatives. The measure was drafted in response to a redistricting plan in Texas that was meant to give Republicans five additional seats in the house in hopes of protecting the GOP majority.

On Thursday, county officials said the ballots have been voided and new ballots were mailed to affected residents, but an investigation is still ongoing as to how the stolen ballots and mail were found in the makeshift camp.

Deputies discovered the trashed mail near Elder Creek and Mayhew Roads in Sacramento County while conducting a cleanup of a reported homeless encampment, officials said. Officials said the camp was vacant when deputies arrived, and no arrests have been made.

Deputies there collected the mail and secured the ballots, according to a statement from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office.

The ballots were then taken to the county's Department of Voter Registration and Elections.

In a statement, county officials said a total of 99 ballots were recovered.

The ballots appeared to have been taken primarily from residents in the south Sacramento area along Gerber Road, between Tiogawoods Drive and Elk Grove Florin Road, officials said.

Earlier this month, another 135 ballots were believed to have been stolen from mailboxes in nearby Yolo County.

The ballots were among several other pieces of mail that were stolen, officials there said in a statement.

Thirty damaged ballots were recovered, and county officials said replacements would be mailed out. Voters affected by the other 105 missing ballots were to be contacted to confirm whether they received their ballots.

_____