What this episode ultimately reveals is not a proven flaw in California’s vote-by-mail system, but a stress test of public confidence. The question is no longer simply whether the envelopes are secure, but whether election officials can meet rising anxiety with transparency and responsiveness before doubt hardens into disbelief.
In a democracy, trust is built not only through rules and safeguards, but through the willingness to explain, listen, and adapt. Sometimes, even the smallest details—two tiny perforations in an envelope—can become a referendum on whether that trust still holds.
