LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Calif. — A Los Angeles County registered voter received his ballot for next month’s special election — along with a ballot addressed to a woman who passed away in 1994. The discovery has raised questions about the accuracy of voter rolls and the security of mailed ballots ahead of upcoming elections.

Election officials said the voter noticed the additional ballot upon opening his mail and immediately contacted the county elections office. The unusual occurrence highlights ongoing concerns about outdated or inaccurate voter records, which officials say are regularly updated but occasionally contain errors.

The deceased woman, who had lived in the same district as the voter, had been removed from active voter rolls years ago, but her name remained linked to the mailing system. Authorities are investigating why her ballot was still generated and sent more than two decades after her death.

Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters spokespersons said mistakes of this nature are extremely rare but not unheard of. “We take every report seriously and immediately investigate any irregularities to ensure the integrity of our elections,” an official said. Ballots issued in error are carefully tracked and flagged to prevent misuse.

The voter who received the ballot described the incident as “bizarre” but said he acted responsibly by notifying election officials rather than attempting to cast both votes. Experts emphasize that while human error can occur in voter databases, safeguards exist to prevent fraudulent voting in such cases.

Officials said the county conducts routine audits and purges of voter rolls, removing deceased individuals, those who have moved out of state, or other ineligible voters. Despite these efforts, the incident illustrates how historical data errors can persist in large electoral systems, affecting mail-in ballot operations.

The timing of the discovery has also drawn attention because it coincides with heightened scrutiny of mail-in voting and election security nationwide. Voters and advocacy groups have expressed concerns about the potential for mistakes to undermine public confidence in the democratic process, even when no actual fraud occurs.

State and county election offices emphasized that voters should remain vigilant and report any discrepancies, such as receiving multiple ballots or ballots addressed to deceased individuals. Election officials reminded residents that safeguards, including signature verification and cross-checking against voter registration databases, prevent unauthorized votes from being counted.

Legal experts say incidents like this are typically administrative errors rather than malicious attempts at fraud. They underscore the importance of ongoing investment in updating voter registration systems, conducting thorough audits, and ensuring transparency in ballot handling to maintain trust in elections.

As the county investigates, officials assured residents that only ballots from eligible, registered voters will be counted in the special election. The voter who reported the error praised the swift response from election staff and encouraged others to promptly notify authorities if they encounter similar issues with their mail-in ballots.