San Mateo Voting Center Left Unlocked and Unattended

A voter discovered a voting center at Notre Dame de Namur University unlocked and unattended on Sunday evening, June 1, one hour after its 5 p.m. closing time. The voter, Madelyn Webster, reported that the building remained accessible and displayed a vote here banner despite the absence of staff.

The San Mateo County Elections Office stated that county personnel secure all voting machines and remove ballots by 5 p.m. daily. The office clarified that university staff are responsible for locking the building itself. Officials confirmed that a review by vote center and supervisory staff determined all ballots, equipment, and materials remained secure and were not compromised.

San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa, who is running for chief elections officer, questioned the security lapse. Canepa sought to determine if the incident was an isolated occurrence or part of a systemic issue, asking how the failure happened and if similar events had occurred previously.