San Diego, California: Registrar of Voters Evacuated Over Suspicious Suitcase on Eve of Election Day

The San Diego County Registrar of Voters building in Kearny Mesa was evacuated on Monday afternoon, November 2, after a suspicious suitcase was found in the front lobby, one day before Election Day. The building reopened at about 4:45 p.m., and voters were allowed back inside.

San Diego police said the suitcase was found at about 1:45 p.m. in the lobby of the Registrar office on Overland Avenue. Sheriff deputies were at the building, and a sheriff bomb squad was sent to check the item, according to reports from the scene. Police closed nearby streets while officers worked.

An evacuation in the middle of voting

At about 3:10 p.m., police evacuated the building. A county spokesperson said the facility was cleared out of an abundance of caution after an item left onsite required further evaluation. Staff and visitors left while officers checked the suitcase and secured the area around the office.

The Registrar is the county office that runs the election. It processes mail ballots, staffs vote centers and prepares the count for Tuesday, November 3. An evacuation at that office, on the last day before polls open for the final day of voting, drew a large response even though voting itself never stopped across the county.

The evacuation order was lifted after about two and a half hours. By about 4:45 p.m. the Registrar had reopened, operations had resumed and voters were entering the building again, NBC 7 San Diego reported.

Voting continued across the county

County officials told voters they could still cast a ballot at any of the 221 vote centers in San Diego County, or return a completed mail ballot at an official ballot drop box. Tuesday, November 3 is the last day to vote. All vote centers and official ballot drop boxes will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, the county said.

Every active registered voter in the county received a ballot by mail. Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked by November 3 and received within seven days to count. Ballots dropped at a vote center or drop box must be in by 8 p.m. on Tuesday.

What is not yet known

Authorities have not said what was inside the suitcase. They have not said who left it in the lobby, and they have not said whether they believe the item was left to disrupt the election. Police announced no arrests in connection with the incident, and the investigation remains ongoing.

For San Diego County voters, the practical picture on Monday night was simple. The Registrar office is open again, early voting continued after the interruption, and Election Day voting runs from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday at 221 vote centers across the county.