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Why Are There Holes In My Mail-In Ballot Envelope?
An official ballot envelope for the 2024 primary election in Los Angeles.
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Brianna Lee
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LAist
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When you sit down to fill out your mail-in ballot for the March 5 election (we have a guide for that, have you heard?), you may notice something curious on your ballot envelope.
There are holes in it. Two small holes next to the signature line, and one on the other side.
What’s the deal?
This is a question an LAist reader asked our Voter Game Plan team recently:
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“Does the hole in the mail-in ballot have a specific see-through function?”
It turns out the envelope holes have two functions. For one, the holes next to the signature line are supposed to help visually impaired people find the signature line so that they can sign their ballot in private before submitting it.
And two: When election workers start processing the ballots to be counted, the holes help them confirm that the envelopes don’t still have ballots left inside.
These holes have been part of the envelope design for many election cycles now — according to the L.A. County registrar’s office, they were included based on a recommendation from the nonprofit Center for Civic Design.
Rest assured, they are not meant for anybody to be able to see your votes inside. Even if you try to make your vote visible, the holes just don’t line up.
Don’t forget to check out our Voter Game Plan guides for the March 5 election while you’re filling out your ballot.
What questions do you have about this election?
You ask, and we'll answer: Whether it's about how to interpret the results or track your ballot, we're here to help you understand the 2024 general election on Nov. 5.
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