Kearny Mesa voting hub closed three hours before election day

The San Diego County Registrar of Voters office in Kearny Mesa reopened at approximately 4:45 p.m. on Monday, ending a three hour closure that occurred the day before the general election. The building shut down after police discovered a suspicious item in the main lobby, forcing staff and voters to leave the premises.

San Diego County Sheriff's deputies identified the briefcase around 1:45 p.m. San Diego police officers initiated the evacuation at 3:10 p.m. Operations resumed once officials confirmed the building was safe, allowing voters to reenter the facility.

Aiyana Moya, a county spokesperson, stated that the evacuation followed an abundance of caution after an item left onsite required further evaluation. She emphasized that the facility is working closely with public safety agencies to maintain the integrity of election operations. Moya assured the public that voting and ballot processing remain secure throughout the county.

Voters displaced by the closure had alternative options. The county maintains 221 vote centers where citizens can cast ballots. Individuals with completed mail-in ballots could also use official drop boxes. All vote centers and drop boxes remain open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, the final day for casting a ballot.

The incident impacted a high traffic voting location during a critical window in the election cycle. The Registrar of Voters confirmed that election services continued to be available at other sites across the county while the Kearny Mesa office underwent its safety review.