California Man Finds Mail-In Ballots in Santa Monica Trash Cans

A Santa Monica man found dozens of mail-in ballots and other important mail tossed into two trash cans in an alley last week.

The man called local authorities who are looking into the scandal.

A California man said he found dozens of mail-in ballots in two trash cans.

“I opened the trash can, and I see a lot of envelopes and ballots, especially ballot envelopes in the trash can, and I knew right away that was not normal,” said Osvaldo Jimenez, who found the mail last Thursday.

The trash cans are located in Santa Monica and contained several dozen ballots, as well as other mail such as bank statements and bills. All of the mail was addressed to homes in the area.

“I thought it was somebody playing a prank,” he said. “Nobody’s going to throw ballot envelopes in the trash can.”

Jimenez alerted authorities to his discovery.

“If it was my ballot in there I would want somebody to recover it,” Jimenez said. “Every vote counts, whichever party it is.”

Separately, authorities in San Bernardino County also reported two batches of discarded mail found on city blocks last week.

In Los Angeles, another person found discarded ballots near an ATM.