Republicans accused a Los Angeles County official who decided to open an in-person voting site in a Democratic-heavy area of trying to steal the election from their candidate.
The special congressional election scheduled for Tuesday in California’s 25th Congressional District, which includes parts of Los Angeles County and Ventura County, is largely a mail-in ballot election due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with few in-person polling sites expected to be open.
Following a request by the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Dean Logan announced on Friday that an in-person polling site at the Lancaster Vote Center would be available to voters in the second weekend of voting in the special election.
“The request to add a Vote Center came from the Mayor of Lancaster late in the week, and thanks to the City’s assistance the RR/CC was able to quickly accommodate the additional Vote Center,” Logan said in a press release.
"Due to COVID-19, the RR/CC encourages voters to vote in the safety of their own home using the Vote by Mail ballot that was issued to every registered voter. Although, by law the RR/CC is required to provide an accessible and safe in-person voting option," Logan added.
Logan's decision to open up an in-person voting center came on the heels of California Gov. Gavin Newsom's decision to have the state send mail-in ballots to all registered voters for November's election.
"This election is being done by vote by mail. Every single voter has already received a ballot and can walk to their mailbox and drop it in the mail," a Republican strategist told the Washington Examiner. "What sense does it really make when voters already have a ballot in their home to then drive past their mailbox and go to a voting center?"
FYI - this is LA Clerk @DCLogan, who this morning abruptly opened up an additional voting center in a heavily Dem area after LA Dem Chairman @MarkJGonzalezLA told him to. They are trying to steal the #CA25 all-mail special election from @MikeGarcia2020. https://t.co/aFYIpGFixe
— NRCC (@NRCC) May 9, 2020
Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel accused Democrats attempting to “steal” the election from their candidate, tweeting: “Democrats are trying to steal the #CA25 special. Corrupt election official @DCLogan waited until Friday evening before the election to announce a single new voting location in a Dem-heavy area. Why? Dems demanded one. Help @MikeGarcia2020 fight back!”
President Trump also accused the Democrats of "trying to steal" the race.
The special election has become a highly watched race, as the swing district was once occupied by former Democratic Rep. Katie Hill until she resigned from the seat in October. The winner will finish the remainder of what would have been Hill's term, which lasts until Jan. 3, 2021.
The LA County Democratic Party tweeted back to the NRCC, "At least the @NRCC is consistent - voters will always know the @GOP /Republicans will do everything they can to make sure it’s more difficult to vote or make sure their vote doesn’t count. We believe in democracy, does @MikeGarcia2020?"
The race pits Democratic Assemblywoman Christy Smith against Mike Garcia, a former naval officer and defense contractor executive who is a first-time candidate.
The election became fairly contentious after Smith mocked Garcia during an online video chat with supporters for often highlighting his military service in his campaign, which generated backlash in the district with a large aerospace industry presence. She later apologized in a tweet.
Garcia was leading Smith, who was endorsed by Hill, in early absentee ballot returns by Friday evening, which pollster Paul Mitchell told CBS News was likely because older, more conservative adults vote earlier. Still, some Democrats are beginning to downplay how well Smith may do after a series of campaign missteps and concerns that voter turnout may not be on her side, and they are preparing Smith for a second face-off with Garcia in November.
