With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today during our fall member drive.
No, the holes in your mail-in ballot are not for showing how you voted. Here’s what they’re actually for
Listen
• 0:47
A mail-in ballot return envelope for L.A. County.
(
Brianna Lee
/
LAist
)
Viral videos circulating in the lead-up to California’s Nov. 4 special election on Proposition 50, a ballot measure that decides whether California can temporarily redraw its congressional maps for the next three election cycles, have fueled false theories — that the small holes in the mail-in ballot envelopes are meant to show how someone voted.
Listen
• 0:47
No, those holes in your mail-in ballot are not for showing how you voted. Here’s what they’re actually for
California Secretary of State Shirley Weber addressed the rumors this week, definitively stating that’s not the case. “The small holes on ballot envelopes are an accessibility feature to allow sight-impaired voters to orient themselves to where they are required to sign the envelope,” Weber said in a statement released Monday.
She added that if voters are concerned about their vote being revealed — some of the videos online show that “No” votes can be made visible through the holes in some envelopes — they can fold or insert their ballot in a way where their choice remains hidden.
Support for LAist comes from
Counties across California use different ballot and envelope designs, and that can add to the confusion about what exactly these holes are for.
For instance, Ventura County’s ballot envelope holes are below the signature line. Orange County’s envelopes don’t have holes at all.
What’s going on? LAist reached out to county registrars across Southern California to get clarification on their envelope designs. Here’s what we learned.
L.A. County
A mail-in ballot return envelope for L.A. County.
(
Brianna Lee
/
LAist
)
The back of an L.A. County mail-in ballot return envelope.
(
Brianna Lee
/
LAist
)
Ballot envelopes in L.A. County have three holes in total: two on the side with the signature line and one overlapping hole on the opposite side of the envelope.
Support for LAist comes from
The L.A. County registrar’s office previously addressed this design, saying it’s been used in many past election cycles. The two holes on the signature side act as an aid for visually impaired voters, and the overlapping holes help election workers tallying votes confirm that the envelopes don’t have ballots left inside.
The holes were recommended by the nonprofit Center for Civic Design. Secretary of State Weber also said her office encourages counties to utilize the group’s guidance, shared on the Secretary of State’s website, in designing their own ballots.
Orange County
The front of an Orange County mail-in ballot return envelope.
(
Tiffany Ujiiye
/
LAist
)
The back of an Orange County mail-in ballot return envelope.
(
Tiffany Ujiiye
/
LAist
)
Orange County ballot envelopes don’t have any holes.
The choice was not related to security or accessibility issues. “We found that ballot return envelopes with holes did not work well in the mail inserting equipment we use,” the Orange County registrar’s office told LAist in an email.
Ventura County
A ballot and ballot envelope for Ventura County for the Nov. 4 special election.
(
Courtesy Ventura County Registrar of Voters
)
Support for LAist comes from
There are two overlapping holes in Ventura County ballot envelopes below the signature line, closer to where a voter would print their address.
These holes are primarily for assisting election staff — both to verify that there’s a ballot inside a returned envelope and to ensure that they’re empty after the ballots are processed, said Simone Seydoux, public information officer for the Ventura County registrar’s office, in an email to LAist. The registrar’s office also uses them to zip tie the envelopes together for election storage.
Additionally, ballot envelopes are designed and printed before the ballots themselves, she said. Envelopes are printed in bulk, and the ones being used for the Nov. 4 special election are from a previous printing run.
“There are three ways to fold the envelopes where the words from the contest are not visible,” said Seydoux. “We encourage voters to fold the ballot in any way that makes them more comfortable.”
Riverside County
A mail-in ballot return envelope from Riverside County.
(
Courtesy Riverside County Registrar of Voters
)
A sample of the back of a mail-in ballot return envelope for Riverside County.
(
Courtesy Riverside County Registrar of Voters
)
Similar to envelopes in L.A. County, the ones in Riverside County have three holes: two by the signature line and one overlapping one on the opposite envelope side. The Riverside County registrar’s office confirmed that they are also an aid for visually impaired voters and for helping election workers who are processing ballots.
Support for LAist comes from
Elizabeth Florer, public information officer for the Riverside County registrar’s office, told LAist the envelopes are made from “detection proof paper,” designed to prevent anybody from being able to see a voter’s choice or any other content inside.
“We take reports of visible ballot contents seriously, as voter confidentiality is a top priority to our electoral system,” Florer said. “Through several attempts, we have not been able to replicate these recent complaints. We continue to ask residents to let us know if they have any concerns.”
The ballot envelope hole controversy
Confusion, false rumors and suspicion around these envelope holes have surfaced and been debunked before, most recently during the 2021 special election to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom.
The issue has ballooned again in the lead-up to this year’s vote. The upcoming Nov. 4 special election on Proposition 50 asks voters to decide whether to temporarily redraw California’s congressional maps for elections through 2030. The new maps were designed to benefit Democrats in an effort to neutralize a similar effort in Texas, supported by President Donald Trump, that favors Republicans.
The rumors on social media have been amplified by right-wing social media accounts including Libs of TikTok and Wall Street Apes. Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton highlighted some of these viral social videos last week and called for suspending the election over it.
Roxanne Beckford Hoge, chair of the Republican Party of Los Angeles County, pushed back on the concern. “Please don't panic people about something that is easily addressed by turning their ballot around. We need every no vote, and we need them now,” she wrote on X.
What questions do you have about this election?
You ask, and we'll answer: Whether it's about who's funding the campaigns or how to track your ballot, we're here to help you understand the 2025 special election on Nov. 4.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The university says the compact, as the Trump administration called it, could undermine free inquiry and academic excellence. -
This is the one time you can do this legally! -
Metro officials said it will be able to announce an opening date “soon.” -
While working for the county, the DA’s office alleges that 13 employees fraudulently filed for unemployment, claiming to earn less than $600 a week. -
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to declare immigration enforcement actions a local emergency. -
Tens of thousands of workers across Southern California walk out over pay and staffing issues.
Best of LAist