California County Finds 596 Uncounted Ballots Months After Democratic Redistricting Win

Nearly 600 unopened ballots turned up in a California county months after voters approved a statewide Democratic redistricting measure, as local election officials acknowledged they let voters down.

The Humboldt County Office of Elections announced Wednesday that 596 sealed but uncounted ballots had no effect on the outcome of the November 4 statewide special election. That vote focused on Proposition 50, a redistricting measure backed by Gov. Gavin Newsom and California Democrats.

County officials found the ballots Monday inside a locked drop box. They said the box showed no signs of tampering because it remained locked and the ballots stayed sealed. The mistake resulted from confusion about whether the drop box had been completely emptied before certification.

"While the mistake occurred after an election worker did not follow proper procedures, the responsibility for what happened ultimately sits with me. I did not have strong enough controls in place to prevent this, but we do now," Humboldt County Clerk-Recorder and Registrar of Voters Juan Pablo Cervantes said in the release. "We have taken corrective action and already updated our protocols. A new lock out, tag out procedure has been implemented for every ballot drop box to ensure each box is physically verified as empty and secured before election results are finalized."

Even though the ballots will not alter the November election results, Humboldt County officials plan to count them anyway. They apologized to voters for falling short of their duties.

"I promise you that we are taking this seriously," Cervantes added. "We will strengthen our processes and continue pushing toward the standard our community expects and deserves."

Proposition 50, supported by Newsom and California Democrats, lets the state use legislature-drawn congressional maps for the 2026, 2028 and 2030 elections. This replaces maps from California's independent redistricting commission.

The measure arose during a national mid-decade redistricting dispute. Newsom and California Democrats said the state needed to offset GOP-led map changes in places like Texas.

California usually relies on an independent commission for redistricting. Proposition 50 set up a temporary exception approved by voters, allowing legislature-drawn congressional maps through 2030.

Last week, the Supreme Court limited Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act in a Louisiana redistricting case. That decision might let Republican-led states draw new maps that weaken Democratic gains in California and possible gains in states like Virginia.

Still, The Los Angeles Times reported Thursday that California Democrats have no plans to redraw maps again before the midterms, despite calls for more action after Proposition 50 passed.

California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks said Democrats must first secure the seats under the map they drew last year. "We have yet to fully win the seats in the map that was drawn in 2025. It seems a step too far to say we’re going to go back to the drawing board and redraw the map," Hicks said, according to The Los Angeles Times.

"You all should pick up some seats. Let’s all do this together, because California cannot do it alone, it will take the rest of the country," Hicks added. He referred to pressure on Democratic-led states to fight Republican redistricting moves nationwide.