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San Mateo County officials urge ballot checks after theft at Daly City post office
The number of stolen vote-by-mail ballots is unknown as the Postal Service and county elections officials investigate. Voters who may be affected can request replacements or track their ballots online.
San Mateo County elections officials are working with the U.S. Postal Service to investigate the theft of vote-by-mail ballots from a Daly City post office, a discovery that could affect voters ahead of the Nov. 3 election.
The county’s Registration & Elections Division said Thursday it had been notified of the theft the previous day. Officials have not determined how many ballots were taken.
Voters concerned their ballots may have been among the stolen mail can request a replacement online or at any vote center in San Mateo County. Online replacement requests must be submitted by Oct. 27 to allow time for mailing.
Voters can also use California’s free “Where’s My Ballot” service to track whether a ballot has been mailed, received and processed. Questions about ballot status can be directed to the county elections division at registrar@smcacre.gov or 650-312-5222.
Three vote centers are currently open in the county. Additional centers are scheduled to open Oct. 24 and Oct. 31, bringing the total to 50. Locations for vote centers and ballot drop boxes are listed at smcacre.gov/november-3-2026.