On August 26, with concerns mounting nationally about the US Postal Service’s ability to handle the huge influx of mail-in ballots for the upcoming election in November, City Council members David Ryu and Bob Blumenfield introduced a motion to provide election ballot drop boxes at city facilities. The ballots would be delivered from the boxes to the City Clerk’s official ballot receiving location.
The Ryu/Blumenfield motion is still in committee, but last Friday, the Los Angeles Board of Public Works Commission voted to authorize and move forward with the installations, and this week, the Bureau of Street Services (aka StreetsLA) is working with Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk to install 123 vote-by-mail drop boxes throughout the city. According to a city press release, 72 of the boxes will be located outside public libraries, five will be placed outside of Recreation and Parks facilities, and 46 more will be placed by Recreation and Parks in their properties. The city promises that “the boxes will be easily accessible and conveniently located for voters to drop off their ballot.”
Among other locations, you’ll be able to find the ballot drop-off boxes at seven branch libraries in CD4, including:
Fairfax
John C. Fremont
Los Feliz
Memorial
Sherman Oaks
Will & Ariel Durant
“Nothing should keep Angelenos from casting their ballot, because our democracy is stronger when more people engage in our political process,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti in the press release. “It’s our responsibility to make voting as simple, easy, and accessible as possible, and these new ballot boxes will place the power of participation in the heart of local communities, preserving and promoting every Angeleno’s democratic rights.”
In a social media post today, Ryu said, “California is fortunate to have universal mail-in voting, but during the COVID-19 pandemic and cuts at the USPS, we need to expand our resources to ensure every Angeleno can vote easily and safely.”
According to the city, the installations should be completed by September 20, and “all Vote by Mail Drop Boxes throughout the city and county will be available to voters beginning October 5 – the same day L.A. County begins mailing Vote by Mail ballots to voters.”
