Fraud text hits voters’ smartphones. What to watch out for before November 4th

Voters in California this week received a suspicious text message telling them they had failed to cast ballots for the state’s Nov. 4 special election on redistricting.

The message may appear formal. This includes the voter’s name and address and links to an official website that provides information about polling times and polling locations for voters.

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

The California Secretary of State’s office received numerous reports from voters of “false text messages from Ballot Now,” according to a news release.

“This has led voters to believe that their returned ballots have not been received or processed by county election officials.” Secretary of State Shirley Weber said in a statement. Let me be clear: The poll is in no way affiliated with the California Secretary of State’s office.

Weber’s office told the Times that it doesn’t know the intent behind the Belt Now text messages, and “we’re trying to get to the bottom of it.”

Belt did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment.

Where voters can get reliable answers to their election questions

Voters can find detailed information about elections and voting on the Secretary of State’s website or at their county election office. The secretary’s website includes a complete list of provincial election offices.

Questions that the Secretary of State’s website can help with include:

How do I check my voter status? By entering some personal information, you can see if you are registered to vote, where you are registered, and see if your political party and language preference is correct on the website’s voter status page.

How do I track my vote? You can sign up to track your ballot through the state’s online site Ballottrax.

• By signing in to Ballottrax, voters automatically receive updates when their county elections office: sends them their ballots, receives their ballots, counts their ballots, or when the office has a problem with the ballot.
• Updates are available in 10 languages ​​– including Spanish, Japanese and Tagalog – and you can choose to text, email or call with voice notification updates.

Where can I return my vote? Los Angeles County residents can find official vote-by-mail locations or vote centers on the Los Angeles County Registrar/County Clerk website.

How to report a catch

If you believe you are a victim of election fraud or have witnessed a violation of the California Election Code, you can submit a complaint form or call the Secretary of State.

Fill out the form online, download a PDF version of the form and mail it in, or call the office – English speakers can call (916) 657-2166 or (800) 345-8683. Spanish speakers can call (800) 232-8682.

The physical form can be mailed to the California Secretary of State Elections Department at 1500 11th St., 5th Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814 or faxed to (916) 653-3214.

Los Angeles County residents are encouraged to call the Los Angeles County Register-Recorder/County Clerk call center with any questions or concerns, office spokesman Mike Sanchez said.

Voter registration can be reached at (800) 815-2666, and the voter information center number is (800) 815-2666; Choice number 1.