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A video circulating online claimed that voting materials could be seen through small holes in Ventura County’s communication ballot envelopes, raising concerns of fraud, but inspection revealed that they were actually designed to be barrier-free and verify the collection of votes.
Recently a video was circulated on the internet accusing SouthCalifornia Small holes in Ventura County’s mail ballot return envelopes could allow election officials to identify voters’ voting intentions, raising concerns about election fraud. Agence France-Presse reported that the relevant claims had been refuted. The main purpose of the small hole is to assist visually impaired voters in signing and to allow election officials to confirm that the ballot has been taken out.
This video appeared on the anti-LGBTQ community account Libs on October 25Tik Tok (TikTok) posted an article saying “the California election is being rigged.” The post shared a since-deleted Instagram video in which a man claimed that after folding his Ventura County ballot and putting it in the official return mailbox, hedemocratic party The mark next to gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra’s name can be seen through a small hole in the front of the envelope.
“This is very important,” said the man. “If you do it the right way, or should I say the wrong way, you will see Besira’s name in the hole.” Similar posts quickly spread on social media, suggesting that small holes in envelopes could make it easier for people to “tamper” with election results. Some netizens also alleged that “it’s a conspiracy” to skew votes supporting Republican candidates.
Actually, the small hole in the return envelope is not a new design. AFP investigated and refuted relevant claims during the 2025 California special election. “Small holes in the return envelopes of communication ballots have existed for many years, and they need to be resealed in almost every election,” Ascension, the county clerk and registrar of voters who oversees election work in Ventura County, told AFP via email on Oct. 26 this year. He explained that the location of these holes is not to check the voting status of voters, but “to ensure that the ballots are actually taken out and the envelopes are empty.”
The California Secretary of State’s office also reminded on its official social media account that the small holes visible on return envelopes in some counties are designed to aid in access. Concerned voters may use a variety of methods to encase their ballots in envelopes to ensure that the ballot contents are not exposed.
Ascension reported that for the 2026 election in Ventura County, three ballots were printed on both sides without any “standard” arrangement, folding or placing in envelopes. He said that there are 187 types of ballot papers in this election, which vary depending on the place of residence of the voter.
It is reported that small holes have appeared in ballots in states like Oregon and Washington as well. According to the Center for Election Innovation and Research, numerous studies and audits have shown that fraud in communication voting is extremely rare. Under US law, postal workers who intentionally destroy or delay communications can be fined or jailed for up to five years.
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The video claimed that election officials could see voters’ marks on their ballot papers through small holes in the front of the envelope and then identify their voting intentions. It also suggested that it was a means to manipulate the election and reject specific ballots.
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The county clerk said the holes have been in place for several years, primarily to make it easier for visually impaired voters to sign and to allow election officials to confirm that ballots in envelopes have actually been taken out and that the envelopes have been emptied.
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The California Secretary of State’s office reminds that small holes are part of some counties’ barrier-free design; Research and audits have also shown that mail-in voting fraud is extremely rare, and intentionally destroying or delaying mail is legally punishable.
