Authorities evacuated the San Diego County Registrar of Voters office in Kearny Mesa Monday and shut down nearby traffic after the discovery of an abandoned suitcase that turned out to be harmless.
The presence of the potentially suspicious satchel in the lobby of the government complex on the eve of Election Day, was reported at about 1:45 p.m. Monday, according to the San Diego Police Department.
A sheriff’s bomb squad was called in to the complex, in the 5600 block of Overland Avenue, to determine if the satchel posed any hazards, SDPD Sgt. David Rodriguez said. County offices, meanwhile, were evacuated “out of an abundance of caution,” county spokesperson Aiyana Moya said.
Within 2 1/2 hours, the evacuation order had been lifted and the affected streets reopened.
“Officials determined there were no safety concerns,” Moya said in the early evening.
He also assured the public that activities leading to Tuesday’s general election would go on as planned.
“We are working closely with public-safety agencies and following established protocols to protect the integrity of election operations. Voters should know that voting and ballot processing remain secure, and (that) election services continue to be available throughout the county.”
