The Board of Supervisors Tuesday called on county election officials to ensure the availability of voting services at public housing facilities, following news that mail service was recently suspended at a Del Ray-area housing complex.
The board approved a motion introduced by Supervisor Hilda Solis that calls on the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s office to prioritize voting services at or near public housing facilities, and conduct outreach to residents about options for obtaining voting information.
“Voting is one of our most fundamental, sacred rights,” Solis said. “However, since its existence, voter suppression has always posed a threat, especially for communities of color. With the continual issues impacting our U.S. Postal Service, I recently became aware that mail service has been discontinued or diminished at one public housing site — and possibly more. This raises concerns over whether these residents are receiving payments and critical medicines. It also leaves us wondering whether their Vote-by-Mail ballots will arrive or be retrieved for the November election.”
Mail delivery was recently suspended at the Mar Vista Gardens public housing complex in the Del Rey area. Culver City Post Office Postmaster Roderick Strong recently told city officials that the move came in response to safety concerns at the complex, which houses more than 1,800 residents, the Los Angeles Times reported. Strong cited recent incidents including a threatening resident and an “uncontrollable dog,” according to The Times.
With postal service suspended at the complex, residents must pick up their mail at a Culver City postal facility.