How to avoid voter scams ahead of the special election

The California secretary of state's office warns of inaccurate texts.

- KAREN GARCIA

A VOTER puts his ballot in a drop box on Main Street in downtown Huntington Beach last week.

This week voters across California received a suspicious text message saying they'd failed to turn in their ballots for Tuesday's statewide special election on redistricting.

The message may appear official. It includes the voter’s name and address and a link to an official website providing information on early voting and vote-by-mail ballot drop-off locations.

But it’s not from the state, and officials urge caution.

The office of the California secretary of state has received numerous reports from voters of “inaccurate text messages from Ballot Now,” according to a news release.

“This has caused voters to believe their returned ballots have not been received or processed by county elections officials,” Shirley Weber, secretary of state, stated in the release.

“Let me be clear,” she added. “Ballot Now is not in any way affiliated with the California Office of the Secretary of State.”