MADERA- Madera County Clerk-Recorder and Registrar of Voters Rebecca Martinez sent an urgent message to voters today regarding their vote by mail ballot.

“Voting by mail is safe.  Dropping your ballot in an official Madera County Drop Box is safe, and returning them to a Vote Center is safe too,” explained Martinez.  “What voters should question is handing their ballots over to someone they do not know, like a stranger that comes to their door.  I also warn voters to be cautious of boxes that are not official ballot boxes.”

Registrar of Voters urges voters to avoid placing ballots in unauthorized drop boxes and never give them to someone you don’t know or trust.

The County Elections Division has recently learned that organizations and individuals may be deploying unauthorized drop boxes.  These boxes often do not meet the legal requirements of a drop box, are not secured or under video surveillance and deputized election officials do not retrieve any ballots deposited in them.

“Your vote is your voice and this is an extremely important election, why risk giving up your right to vote by handing over your ballot to a complete stranger who isn’t a trained, deputized election official?” questioned Martinez.  “There are six official ballot boxes, eight vote centers and my office is open during the week and whenever a vote center is open. Of course, voters can return their ballot, postage free, via the United States Postal Service.”

The six official ballot drop boxes are located at 1)the County Government Center in Madera, 2) the Satellite County Government Center in Oakhurst, 3) the Madera Ranchos Library, 4) the North Fork Tribal Government Office in North Fork, 5) City Hall in Chowchilla and 6) the Madera Community College Administration Building in Madera.  A complete list of drop boxes and vote centers with addresses and hours of operation can be found at www.votemadera or by calling the Madera County Elections Division at (800) 435-0509.

Voters are encouraged to report unauthorized drop boxes to the County Elections Division by calling (800) 435-0509.

 </p