Letters to the Editor: Ballot conspiracy claim is easily debunked, at least in L.A. County

To the editor: Not only is the entire conspiracy theory false, but the claim that it is possible to see the voter’s preference through a hole in the return envelope is demonstrably inaccurate, at least for Los Angeles County ballots (“California ballot design prompts false conspiracy theories that the November election is rigged,” Oct. 14). The “yes” and “no” circles for voting are less than an inch from the ballot fold (or bottom of the envelope, depending on your placement). The holes in the envelope are approximately two inches from the bottom and four inches from the top of the envelope. While ballots in other counties may have different layouts, L.A. County is California’s most populated by far and makes up a massive amount of the ballots.

It is disappointing that the secretary of state suggested that voters might have to take additional steps to protect the privacy of their ballots without mentioning this. It is also disappointing that the Los Angeles Times didn’t include this fact-check in its article.

Elizabeth Ralston, Los Angeles