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As Trump Leaves Hospital, California Mail-In Ballots Arrive In Homes

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — President Donald Trump's release from Walter Reed Medical Center comes the same day ballots are being mailed out across California.

The Sacramento County Elections Office now has a mail-in ballot box in its parking lot, one of 70 dispersed across the county. Registered voters can cast their ballots now, ahead of November 3 Election Day, as the president's health suddenly comes under heavy scrutiny.

In the hours after President Trump was discharged from the hospital, he posted a video on his Twitter feed about his own coronavirus case.

"Don't be afraid of it," President Trump said. "You're gonna beat it. We have the best medical equipment, we have the best medicines."

Mindy Romero is Director of the Center for Inclusive Democracy at the University of Southern California, headquartered in Sacramento. She says if President Trump's campaign was hoping to appear sympathetic to the public, the president's own words are countering that effort.

"Yes there can be a sympathy vote," Romero said. "In this case, I don't know that Trump qualifies for it. I don't think the sympathy vote is in play here, and just what we're hearing early from Trump's camp is they're talking about strength."

Trump posted a tweet after his release, reading in part: "Feeling really good! Don't be afraid of Covid. Don't let it dominate your life."

His videos also posted to Twitter echoed that message.

"Don't let it dominate, don't let it take over your lives," Trump tweeted. "Don't let that happen."

Romero says the small percentage of undecided voters left will likely watch the president's health closely in the coming days.

"But just how he handles that quarantine period and protocol around being a Covid patient, I think Is going to be really important," Romero said.

The president and the Coronavirus. As votes are now being cast, the two could not be linked any closer together.

Besides ballot drop boxes, voting centers will also open starting Oct. 24, through Election Day, Nov. 3.

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