Days after California’s primary, voters remain uncertain which candidates will advance to the general election for the governor’s seat and the Los Angeles mayoralty. That uncertainty is partly due to the state’s extended mail‑ballot counting period. President Donald Trump recently tweeted that the Department of Justice is investigating the delay, accusing the state’s Democratic officials of cheating to keep Republican Steve Hilton and Spencer Pratt off the ballot.


California’s election law requires mailed ballots to be postmarked by Election Day and received within seven days. After months of polls, local election workers must verify signatures and, if necessary, allow voters to confirm their identity before counting. This procedure can push final results weeks beyond the night of the election.


Newsom’s office responded by citing a CNN video that explains the state’s emphasis on accuracy over speed. The office added, “We wish the votes were counted faster, too,” while the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles declined to comment on any investigation.


Slow count designed to ensure accuracy, but opens door to election lies


The law practically mandates a drawn‑out count to verify the legitimacy of late‑arriving mail ballots. Only after the polls have closed can local officials begin the lengthy checking process. If a signature on an envelope doesn’t match the voter’s file, officials must give the voter a chance to prove identity, further delaying the tally.


In 2023, Gov. Newsom signed a bill shortening the required tally period to 13 days from the previous 30 days, with counties able to request extensions by reporting a valid reason to the Secretary of State’s office.


Trump’s social‑media rant highlighted his frustration: “The Dumocrats are at it again! They are trying to STEAL THE GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA PRIMARY, AND THE MAYOR OF LOS ANGELES PRIMARY, AWAY FROM TWO GREAT REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES. Here we go with the very late and massive numbers of MAIL IN BALLOTS.”


State Assemblymember Marc Berman called Trump’s comments a lie and emphasized that the focus should remain on counting every validly cast ballot accurately. He warned that errors or delays could undermine voter confidence in democracy.


Many Democratic voters waited until the last minute to cast their ballot


Experts predict the primary count might take longer than in previous years because Democrats held back their ballots until the last minutes for the Governor race. This surge of late mail ballots tends to skew later counts toward Democratic preferences, fueling conspiracy theories about partisan tampering.


Republicans have routinely challenged California’s mail‑ballot rules, while the National Republican Committee has filed lawsuits in other states. The U.S. Supreme Court is slated to rule on the legality of counting post‑Election Day ballots soon.


Voting advocates stress that local election offices need better funding to process the avalanche of late‑arriving ballots and reduce the counting time.


— Associated Press, contributors Christopher Weber (Los Angeles) and Sophie Austin (Sacramento).


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