596 Ballots Found Uncounted in Locked Humboldt Drop Box Months After Election

In a stunning admission, Humboldt County’s Elections Office revealed that 596 ballots from the November 4, 2025, Statewide Special Election were found uncounted inside a locked ballot drop box months after the election was certified. The discovery came on May 4, 2026, raising serious questions about election integrity and administrative oversight.

According to a press release from the Humboldt County Elections Office, the ballots were sealed and untouched, confirming no tampering occurred. Still, these votes should have been included before the December 5, 2025 certification deadline, as mandated by California’s constitution. The county is now scrambling to explore legal options to count these ballots despite the six-month destruction deadline outlined in state election law.

County Clerk-Recorder and Registrar of Voters Juan Pablo Cervantes took full responsibility for the failure. He blamed a breakdown in communication among election workers who mistakenly believed the drop box had been emptied. “That outcome is unacceptable and runs counter to the core of what this office stands for,” Cervantes said. He pledged transparency and accountability, emphasizing that new “lock out, tag out” procedures have been implemented to ensure every drop box is physically checked and secured before certification in future elections.

While officials confirmed the late counting of these ballots will not alter election results, the incident shines a harsh light on vulnerabilities in election administration. Voters who entrusted their ballots to the system were let down by insufficient safeguards and procedural failures. Cervantes acknowledged this breach of trust and vowed to do better.

This episode underscores the critical need for robust, redundant systems and clear lines of accountability to protect the integrity of our elections. In an era where election legitimacy is under constant assault, mistakes like these provide ammunition to bad-faith actors seeking to undermine democracy.

Humboldt County’s mishandling of nearly 600 votes is a stark reminder that election oversight cannot be taken lightly. The public deserves not only accurate and timely counts but also transparency when errors occur. As Cervantes promised, the county must strengthen its processes and restore voter confidence before the next election cycle.

For more information on Humboldt County elections, visit HumboldtGov.org/Elections.