Mail-in ballots are now out for the Proposition 50 special election, and some Sacramento County voters are noticing holes in their ballot envelopes that they say they are concerned about.

Allen Wegat is a voter concerned that the hole in his vote-by-mail envelope could help someone who wants to tamper with his ballot. 

"If someone were unscrupulous and didn't like how I voted, they could double-mark it, which would invalidate my vote," Wegat said. "It makes it too easy for bad actors."

The Sacramento County vote-by-mail envelope has holes that allow his Proposition 50 ballot vote inside to be visible if it's folded and placed inside the envelope in a particular way.

Ken Casparis is the spokesperson for the Sacramento County Registrar of Voters who says election integrity is not at risk and the holes serve a purpose. 

"It is a non-issue," Casparis said. "They're very important. So there are a couple of reasons that we have the holes on the back of our ballot and one on the front."

Casparis says the two envelope holes on the front and one on the back help election workers verify when the ballots have been removed. They also help visibly impaired voters.

"It gives them something to feel so they know where to sign their name," Casparis said.

This is not the first California election in which envelope holes became a hot topic. During the governor's recall vote in 2021, a social media post in Los Angeles also pointed out the holes, claiming an election conspiracy.

Casparis said there is a simple solution to the see-through issue.

"So, the back of the card is left blank, just fold it, you've got nothing on either side of this, stick in your ballot envelope," Casparis said.

Every county has a different envelope, but the holes are standard practice across the state and have been used for years.

Election officials in Sacramento County say they have received a handful of emails this week from people concerned about these holes. They are advising people to make sure they put their ballot inside the envelopes in a way that their vote can't be seen.

If it passes, Proposition 50 would shift five of California's U.S. House seats to be more favorable to Democrats in next year's midterm elections. It's meant to counter Texas' newly redrawn congressional districts that favor Republicans.