NAMPA, Idaho — Nampa Police say there has been an increase in mail theft from residential mailboxes after five had their contents stolen, which did include some ballots. However, police do not believe that the suspects were focused on the ballots in an effort to rig the election.
Officers say they got a call about a bundle of mail that was found discarded in a store parking lot.
Lt. Jamie Burns with the Nampa Police Department said officers were able to return the ballots to the rightful owners.
"When we received the call and went out to retrieve the mail, we noticed that the ballots were part of the retrieved mail. So our concern wasn't so much about the ballots because they were still there. We believe the mail theft, I'm assuming, they were just trying to go after things that they can use, looking for cash or anything else that they can money off of," he said.
If you have any information about the thefts, you can contact the Nampa Police Department at their non-emergency dispatch line at (208) 465-2257.
Even though ballots weren't the target here, it's still a good reminder that if you're worried about your ballot, it can be tracked online at Idahovotes.gov.
Go to the website, enter your name, and it will show if your county clerk's office has mailed out your ballot yet. Once the ballot is returned, you can check to see if your clerk's office has received it.
If you still have questions, or if you think something's happened to your ballot, contact your county clerk's office.
If you use your residential mailbox for pick up, here are some tips from the United States Postal Service:
- Promptly pick up mail
- Deposit mail close to pickup time
- Inquire with USPS about overdue mail
- Don’t send cash
The USPS has information on best practices, what to do if you suspect mail theft, how to report mail theft and how to track mail. For more information, check out their website.
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