San Diego Election Office Evacuation Halts Voting on Eve of Midterms

The San Diego election office evacuation on Monday afternoon shut down the county's main election building on the eve of the 2026 midterm elections, after staff found a suspicious suitcase in the front lobby. The San Diego County Registrar of Voters office at 5600 Overland Avenue in Kearny Mesa was cleared, nearby streets were closed, and a sheriff's bomb squad was called in to examine the item, according to police accounts reported by local and national outlets.

The building reopened about two and a half hours later. County officials stressed that voting and ballot processing remained secure, with services continuing across the county through its 221 vote centers and drop boxes. No arrests have been announced, and authorities have not said what was inside the suitcase.

Key Points

• A suspicious suitcase was spotted in the lobby of the San Diego County Registrar of Voters office at about 1:45 p.m. on Monday, November 2.
• The building at 5600 Overland Avenue in Kearny Mesa was evacuated by about 3:10 p.m., nearby streets were closed, and a sheriff's bomb squad examined the item.
• The office reopened at about 4:45 p.m., roughly two and a half hours after the evacuation began, and voters were allowed back inside.
• A county spokesperson said the evacuation was ordered out of an abundance of caution after an item left on site required further evaluation.
• No arrests have been made, and police have not disclosed the contents of the suitcase or who left it in the lobby.

What Happened

According to the San Diego Police Department, as reported by NBC 7 San Diego and the New York Post, the suitcase was first spotted in the front lobby of the Registrar of Voters building at about 1:45 p.m. on Monday. Staff and visitors were moved out of the building, and by about 3:10 p.m. the evacuation was complete. Police closed surrounding streets while the sheriff's bomb squad assessed the package and secured the area.

The disruption came at a sensitive moment: the office is the administrative heart of San Diego County elections, handling ballot processing and certification for one of California's largest counties. Early voting was under way, and the building itself serves as a vote center. For about two and a half hours, in-person services there were suspended, even as officials pointed voters to other vote centers and drop boxes. By about 4:45 p.m., the building had reopened and voters were allowed back inside on Monday evening.

Background: San Diego County Voting on Election Eve

San Diego County runs 221 vote centers and drop boxes for the November 3 general election. On Election Day, centers are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; voters may drop off a mail ballot, vote in person, or register and vote the same day. Mailed ballots must be postmarked by November 3 and received within seven days.

The evacuation landed in a midterm election already marked by tension over election administration. More than 57 million Americans had voted early before Election Day, according to the University of Florida Election Lab, and the Justice Department planned its largest-ever Election Day polling-place monitoring effort. On Monday, the Supreme Court rejected the Trump administration's bid to force California to set aside about 20,000 mail ballots, leaving the state's counting procedures in place.

San Diego Election Office Evacuation: What Officials Have Said

The county's public message on Monday was deliberately calm. A spokesperson told NBC San Diego that the facility had been evacuated out of an abundance of caution after an item left on site required further evaluation. Registrar spokesperson Aiyana Moya added that the office was working closely with public safety agencies and following established protocols to protect the integrity of election operations.

"Voters should know that voting and ballot processing remain secure, and election services continue to be available throughout the county," Moya said, according to NBC 7 San Diego. She also reminded voters that all vote centers and official ballot drop boxes would be open on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Police, for their part, have been sparing with detail. The San Diego Police Department confirmed the suitcase was found in the front lobby at about 1:45 p.m. and that streets were closed while authorities responded. It has not said what the suitcase contained, whether any explosives were found, who left it, or whether investigators believe the incident was a deliberate attempt to disrupt election operations. The investigation remains open.

Reactions and Quotes

There was no claim of responsibility and no immediate political reaction tied directly to the incident. Officials treated it as a precautionary response to an unattended item, not as a confirmed attack. Reports described a possible or suspected bomb threat as the reason for the evacuation, not a finding that a bomb was present. As of the latest reports, no explosives have been confirmed, no one has been arrested, and no motive has been established.

Why It Matters

The incident matters less for what it disrupted — about two and a half hours at a single building — than for what it tested. A single unattended bag can force a choice between caution and continuity. San Diego County chose caution first, then restored service quickly.

It also matters as a reminder of how much American voting now happens away from any single building. With mail ballots, drop boxes and more than 200 vote centers in San Diego County alone, a closure at headquarters does not close the election. That redundancy worked as designed on Monday.

What Happens Next

The investigation continues: police and sheriff's investigators will try to establish who left the suitcase, what it contained, and whether the incident was accidental, a prank, or a deliberate disruption attempt. Any update on the contents or an arrest would be the next significant development.

For voters, the practical picture is unchanged. Vote centers and drop boxes are open on Election Day, November 3, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and mailed ballots postmarked by Election Day remain valid if received within seven days.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened at the San Diego election office? A suspicious suitcase was found in the lobby of the Registrar of Voters office on Monday afternoon, November 2. The building was evacuated, a sheriff's bomb squad examined the item, and it reopened about two and a half hours later.

Was there a bomb? Authorities have not said so. Police have not disclosed what the suitcase contained or whether explosives were found.

Was anyone arrested? No. As of the latest reports, no arrests have been made and the investigation is ongoing.

Did the evacuation stop people from voting? Services at the main office were suspended for about two and a half hours, but the county's 221 vote centers and drop boxes remained available.

Can San Diego voters still vote on Election Day? Yes. Vote centers and drop boxes are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3, and mailed ballots postmarked by Election Day count if received within seven days.

Read more: Election Day polls open under close watch, Supreme Court rejects bid to set aside California ballots, Judge Chutkan blocks Trump voting pressure.