Fact Check: Does a punched hole in a Ventura County ballot envelope prove election rigging?

VENTURA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA: As voters cast their ballots in the 2026 midterm elections in early November, misleading claims about the voting process are spreading online.

With Election Day less than a week away, one viral rumor claims that a punched hole in a Ventura County, California, ballot return envelope proves election rigging. Such posts have raised questions about election security and voter fraud. But does the hole really indicate tampering? Let's take a closer look at the claim.

Claim: California is rigging the election

A video circulating on social media has sparked claims that California’s mail-in voting system allows election workers to identify and discard ballots based on voters’ choices.

The clip shows the front of a ballot return envelope from Ventura County, California, with a small punched hole.

In the video, a man demonstrates how a marked ballot can line up with the hole when inserted in a particular way. He points to a mark beside Democratic gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra’s name and warns viewers, “Be very careful how you place your ballot in your California envelope.”

The video gained attention ahead of the November 3, 2026, midterm elections. On October 25, the X account Libs of TikTok shared the clip with the caption, “California is rigging the elections,” suggesting that the hole could allow election workers to identify and discard votes.

Similar posts spread across social media, with some users alleging that workers or mail carriers could use the feature to dispose of ballots cast for Republican candidates. The video originally appeared on Instagram and was later deleted.

Fact Check: The claim is false

The claim is false. Simone Seydoux, a spokesperson for the Ventura County Clerk-Recorder and Registrar of Voters, said the ballot return envelopes follow a design standard recommended by the California Secretary of State.

The two holes appear on the back of the envelope, one on each side of the space where voters must sign. They help voters with visual impairments locate the signature area.

Seydoux explained that one hole goes through the entire envelope. Election workers use it to check whether an envelope is empty after removing the ballot. They also use the hole to secure stacks of empty envelopes with zip ties for storage.

“The holes are NOT positioned in order to see the vote on a particular contest,” Seydoux wrote in an email. She added that election officials order the envelopes in advance and reuse them for different elections whenever possible.

Seydoux also said Ventura County’s 2026 general election ballot contains three double-sided ballot cards. Voters can fold the cards and place them inside the return envelope in any order.

The California Secretary of State’s office also addressed concerns about the holes earlier this month. In an Instagram post, the office explained that the holes help voters with visual impairments find the space where they need to sign the envelope.

It also said voters who worry that their choices might show through the holes can insert their ballots in different ways to keep their selections hidden.