GOP pushes unfounded fraud claims before California recall

OAKLAND, Calif. - Voters will have a number of options to cast their ballots on Tuesday for the gubernatorial recall election.

Election officials say anyone eligible to vote can cast a ballot on Election Day, even if you've lost your ballot or never received one.

"We have here in California have same-day registration, so they can fill out a form and vote," said Tim Dupuis, the Alameda County Registrar of Voters.

Alameda County will have voting centers where people can vote in person. Other counties will have polling sites in precincts. 

Dupuis says nearly half of Alameda County's registered voters had turned in their ballots, with about 430,000 ballots received out of more than 948,000 registered voters. Statewide, according to the firm Political Data INC, about 35% of California registered voters had cast their ballots by Monday night.

In many counties including Alameda County's Elections Office in Oakland, workers are staffing a drive-thru, drop-off site which allowed voters to hand over the ballot to a staff member at a curbside tent who places them into locked boxes.

Both supporters and opponents of the recall are going all out to get voters to turn up at polling sites or turn in their ballots.

In Oakland on Monday, union workers with the SEIU gathered outside their offices on Oak Street for a phone bank and door knock effort.

"We're doing texting, door knocks, precinct walking. We've had hundreds of volunteers already," said David Canham, Exec. Director of the SEIU Local 1021.

In San Francisco, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stopped at a phone bank at Manny's restaurant in the Mission along with San Francisco Mayor London Breed and other Democrats.

"Don't mess with California. We have a great Governor, so great they decided to recall him. 3316 and they do it in a way that makes this recall a recall of our values," said Speaker Pelosi.

Groups that support the recall are also mobilizing.

"We've identified about 800,000 low propensity voters who are likely Yes voters that unless they get a phone call or a text message or a knock on the door might not return their ballot," said Carl DeMaio, chairman of Reform California Yes on Recall.

DeMaio says they have made 2 million voter contacts in the past few days.

Republicans such as candidate Larry Elder have suggested there might be election shenanigans, casting doubt on the results before people have voted or ballots have been counted.

Former President Trump issued a statement Monday asking if anyone believed the election isn't rigged.

Some Republicans disagree.

"Frankly, all this talk about the election not being valid is a cul de sac because it's going to result in some people deciding not to vote," said Republican candidate John Cox as he campaigned Monday outside the Capitol..

Election officials say they want to dispel unfounded rumors such as suggestions that drop boxes can be opened with a simple postal key.

"They're unique keys and they're assigned to two-person teams and there's a chain of custody that we enforce," said Dupuis.

"All of the equipment and all the bags that we transport the ballots in have a tamper seal on them," said Dupuis, "If any tampering has happened it will change color, we will know something has happened with that seal."

DeMaio says while he thinks California does a terrible job maintaining voter lists. he disagrees with those who are saying the election is rigged.

"There are issues with the voting system in California but that should not discourage you from casting your ballot. Nobody should tell  you that it's a lost cause or that it's rigged. Get out there and vote," said DeMaio.

California has a ballot tracker system which can send voters a text message or email when their ballot is received and counted. The link to sign up is https://california.ballottrax.net/voter/ 

Associated Press contributed to this report.

Jana Katsuyama is a reporter for KTVU.  Email Jana at jana.katsuyama@fox.com and follow her on Twitter @JanaKTVU or Facebook @NewsJana or ktvu.com.