A guide published by the Los Angeles chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America is drawing renewed attention for its detailed instructions on collecting and returning mail ballots on behalf of voters, a practice commonly known as ballot harvesting.
The document, titled “How To: Ballot Delivery,” has been publicly available on the organization’s website since May 2022. It provides volunteers with a step-by-step script and procedures for encouraging voters to complete their ballots immediately and authorize a volunteer to return them.
Under California law, voters are permitted to designate another person to return a completed vote-by-mail ballot on their behalf, provided the required information is completed on the ballot envelope. Supporters of the practice argue it increases participation by helping voters who may otherwise struggle to return their ballots. Critics contend the system creates opportunities for pressure or undue influence.
The DSA guide instructs volunteers to ask voters directly whether they are prepared to vote immediately. If a voter hesitates, volunteers are told to continue asking.
“Will you vote now?” the guide states before adding the instruction: “Ask at least 3 times.”
The document also encourages volunteers to suggest that completing the ballot on the spot can help avoid potential problems with mail delivery.
“I want to make sure that your ballot doesn’t get lost in the mail or in the city bureaucracy,” one suggested script reads.
“If we fill it out together right now, there’s an official place to sign it over to me and I can bring it to the city directly either today or first thing tomorrow morning.”
Volunteers are then directed to ensure all ballot pages are placed inside the envelope and that voters complete the required signatures. The guide instructs volunteers to fill out the section identifying who is returning the ballot and to list their relationship to the voter as “Volunteer.”
Once collected, ballots can either be returned to DSA-LA canvass leaders or deposited in a mailbox or official ballot drop box.
The debate over ballot collection has remained a contentious issue in California politics. Opponents argue that allowing third parties to collect ballots introduces unnecessary risks and raises concerns about voter pressure. Supporters counter that the practice is legal, transparent, and frequently used to assist voters who face transportation, mobility, or logistical challenges.
The issue has also drawn attention from voters themselves.
During visits to several Los Angeles locations with large concentrations of registered voters, The Post reported speaking with numerous individuals about voter registration and voting habits. Some said they remembered being registered to vote but could not recall who registered them or what became of their ballots after registration.
Among those interviewed was Don Garza, a disabled veteran who has lived on Skid Row since 1999.
Garza said voter registration efforts are common throughout the area and often accompany outreach programs and benefit services.
“We are tired of it. We don’t want people coming in and deciding elections and taking advantage of us,” Garza said.
“Every one of them thinks they have claim to our voice. They think they speak for us.”
Garza also noted that individuals applying for government assistance programs are often offered voter registration as part of the process.
“Whenever you go and apply for Medi-Cal, GR, or food stamps, you are asked if you want to register to vote,” he said.
The guide’s continued availability has fueled criticism from some California Republicans, including gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton, who argues that large-scale ballot collection has become an integral part of Democratic political organizing in the state.
“I think what you’re seeing is years and years of the Democrat machine being built up for moments like this,” Hilton told The Post.
Hilton pointed to unions, advocacy organizations, and nonprofit groups that participate in voter outreach efforts, arguing that ballot collection has become a key component of modern campaign operations.
“The unions, the activist groups, the nonprofits, this whole machine that’s been built. And this is when it comes into its own, when they harvest ballots for elections,” Hilton said.
Despite ongoing criticism, ballot collection remains explicitly legal under California law. Supporters note that organizations across the political spectrum have utilized the practice and argue that it expands access to voting. Critics continue to push for reforms, citing concerns about election integrity and the potential for voter coercion.
