Police in California say they found a man found passed out in a vehicle and in possession of stolen mail that included 300 recall ballots for the state’s gubernatorial recall election next month. They also reportedly found Xanax, methamphetamine, a loaded handgun, and California drivers’ licenses with other people’s names.
On the night of August 16, the Torrance Police Department received a call about a man who’d passed out in a vehicle in a 7-Eleven parking lot. When they arrived they found the man, whose name they have not released.
He has been charged with “numerous weapons, narcotics and forgery charges.”
Sgt. Mark Ponegalek said Torrance police are working with the U.S. Postal Service and the Public Integrity Division of the Los Angeles County’s district attorney’s office to ascertain “how the election ballots ended up in the suspect’s vehicle and what their intent was in having them.”
Each ballot features a specific barcode that corresponds to each voter. Authorities are currently working to get new ballots to affected voters.
On September 14, Californians will vote on whether to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom. The ballot features a single yes/no question on the first side: “Shall GAVIN NEWSOM be recalled (removed) from the office of Governor?”
The other side features the dozens of candidates who, if a simple majority vote “yes” to the recall could potentially replace him. In