California Secretary of State Clarifies Special Election Ballot Envelopes

Register by October 14th to receive a ballot for the November 4th Special Election

The deadline to register to vote for the upcoming November 4, 2025, Special Election is Tuesday, October 14, 2025.

California ballot design prompts false conspiracy theories that the November election is rigged

California's secretary of state refutes viral claims that holes in ballot envelopes allow election officials to see how people voted on Proposition 50.

California Secretary of State Clarifies Special Election Ballot Envelopes

California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber today clarified information about the Nov. 4, 2025, Statewide Special Election ballot envelopes. “We have been seeing a great deal of misinformation about the Nov. 4, 2025, Statewide Special Election ballot envelopes, and I want to set the record straight,” Weber said. “The small holes on ballot envelopes are an accessibility feature to allow sight-impaired voters to orient themselves to where they …