Skip to main content

Rigged Voting Not An Option

Support Provided By
Circa 1964 Voting Machine LAPL | Donald Trump photo Gage Skidmore
Circa 1964 Voting Machine | photo LA Public Library.  Donald Trump
The equipment used to tally votes in Los Angeles County is not connected to the internet.

Los Angeles County voters don't need to worry about a rigged election, no matter what Donald Trump says, according to Registrar- Recorder/County Clerk Dean Logan.

Logan oversees what he calls the largest and most complex county election jurisdiction in the country, with more than 500 political districts and 5.1 million registered voters. He spent part of Monday talking to Reddit users and media ahead of the Oct. 24 deadline to register to vote.

Residents vote locally and each county and state has its own independent voting system, making a nationwide hack virtually impossible, Logan said, noting that the equipment used to tally votes in Los Angeles County is not connected to the internet.

Dean Logan L.A. Co. Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk
Dean Logan L.A. Co. Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk

``It means there is no single point of interference for someone who wanted to disrupt the elections process, especially on a national level,'' Logan told CBS2.

As for manually manipulating the vote, Logan pointed out that ballots are transferred by from polling places to the registrar's office by sheriff's deputies.

Logan spent an hour on the Reddit website answering questions ranging from when voters can expect mail-in ballots to why voter turnout is so low.

One Reddit user asked about possible intimidation at the polls. Logan pointed to guidelines at www.lavote.net for poll monitoring and asked voters to report anything out of compliance with those rules.

``Any disruption of voters or intimidation of voters is unacceptable,'' Logan said. ``Voting is about access, representation and participation -- it shouldn't be feared.''

Another user thought he might write in a candidate for president, but wanted to make sure it wouldn't affect his other choices.

``If I write in anyone (even if not an official name) for president will the rest of my vote not count?'' the user asked.

``Yes, the remainder of your ballot will absolutely count,'' Logan replied. ``When a ballot has a write-in vote, the ballot has to be held on Election Night for processing so we can make sure you didn't mark the ballot and (also) include a write-in candidate. So, ballots with write-in votes definitely count, but they are not processed/counted on Election Night.''

Another user who volunteered as a poll clerk during the June primary asked, ``In a country struggling to encourage voter turnout and engagement, how do you expect CA voters to feel like their votes matter when the elections are poorly run by overworked volunteers with little oversight?''

Logan sought to reassure the user that more supervisors have been trained for the general election and some of the particular challenges of the primary won't apply in November.

Asked whether mail-in ballots will be counted, Logan was adamant.

``Any valid and timely received vote by mail ballot will be counted and included in the certified election results. This is a legal requirement and occurs in ALL elections. I am always surprised by this question, so PLEASE help spread the word!'' he said.

County election officials remind residents that Monday, Oct. 24 is the deadline to register to vote in the upcoming election.

There are a number of ways you can register in time for the Nov. 8 election.

Wannabe voters can register online at www.lavote.net. Registration forms are available at libraries, post offices and most government offices, and can be mailed in. The forms can also be dropped off at the registrar-recorder's office at 12400 Imperial Highway in Norwalk, on the third floor.

Residents can also use the websiteto check their registration status.

Support Provided By
Read More
Gray industrial towers and stacks rise up from behind the pitched roofs of warehouse buildings against a gray-blue sky, with a row of yellow-gold barrels with black lids lined up in the foreground to the right of a portable toilet.

California Isn't on Track To Meet Its Climate Change Mandates. It's Not Even Close.

According to the annual California Green Innovation Index released by Next 10 last week, California is off track from meeting its climate goals for the year 2030, as well as reaching carbon neutrality by 2045.
A row of cows stands in individual cages along a line of light-colored enclosures, placed along a dirt path under a blue sky dotted with white puffy clouds.

A Battle Is Underway Over California’s Lucrative Dairy Biogas Market

California is considering changes to a program that has incentivized dairy biogas, to transform methane emissions into a source of natural gas. Neighbors are pushing for an end to the subsidies because of its impact on air quality and possible water pollution.
A Black woman with long, black brains wears a black Chicago Bulls windbreaker jacket with red and white stripes as she stands at the top of a short staircase in a housing complex and rests her left hand on the metal railing. She smiles slightly while looking directly at the camera.

Los Angeles County Is Testing AI's Ability To Prevent Homelessness

In order to prevent people from becoming homeless before it happens, Los Angeles County officials are using artificial intelligence (AI) technology to predict who in the county is most likely to lose their housing. They would then step in to help those people with their rent, utility bills, car payments and more so they don't become unhoused.