The slow pace drew national scrutiny after it took roughly a week for enough ballots to be counted to project the California governor’s race. In the days after the primary, critics including President Donald Trump, election analyst Nate Silver and The New York Times editorial board pointed to the delay as a problem for public confidence in elections.

California leaders in both parties say they want faster results. But Democratic officials, who control state government, have shown little interest in major changes if those changes would make it harder for voters to participate.

The central issue is California’s heavy use of mail voting. Large numbers of ballots arrive on Election Day or shortly before, leaving county election offices with a surge of envelopes to process after polls close. That dynamic affects counties across the state, including Southern California and the Inland Empire, where mail voting has become a routine part of elections.

Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, a Santa Cruz Democrat who chairs the Assembly elections committee and previously served as a county registrar, said faster election-night results would come with tradeoffs. She warned that the state would have to return to more in-person voting, set much earlier mail ballot deadlines or take other steps that could leave some voters out.

Secretary of State Shirley Weber has also emphasized accuracy over speed. In April, she told CalMatters that accuracy is “far more important,” and she dismissed some of the criticism of slow results as a political talking point amplified by Trump.

Mail ballots generally take more time, staffing and money to handle than ballots cast in person. County election offices must manage the workload with limited resources, and the Public Policy Institute of California has reported that counties do not receive enough funding to hire the additional workers that could help speed up processing.

Unlike some other states, California does not provide counties with ongoing state funding dedicated to election administration. That leaves local registrars to balance voter access, accuracy and staffing constraints within their existing budgets.

Eric McGhee, a senior fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California, said county election officials are doing what they can with the money available to them, but the volume of work is significant.

For now, the debate leaves California with a familiar tension: voters and political observers want quicker answers, but the systems that have expanded access to the ballot — particularly widespread mail voting — are also part of what slows the final count.

Original source: CalMatters

The post California Democrats Seek Faster Election Results but Warn Changes Could Hurt Voters appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

The slow tally drew national scrutiny after it took roughly a week for enough ballots to be counted to project the outcome of the governor’s race. Critics included President Donald Trump, election analyst Nate Silver and The New York Times editorial board, which argued that delayed results can undermine public confidence in government.

State leaders from both parties have said they would prefer faster results. But Democratic officials, who control state government, have shown little interest in major changes if those changes would limit access to ballots — particularly mail voting, now a central part of California elections.

Election officials say the delay is largely tied to the volume of mail ballots that arrive on Election Day or shortly before it. Under California law, those ballots must be verified and processed before they are counted, a procedure that takes more time than tabulating votes cast in person.

Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, a Santa Cruz Democrat who chairs the Assembly elections committee and previously served as a county registrar, said Californians should understand the tradeoff involved.

“If you want results election night, you’re going to have to go back to in-person voting, way earlier deadlines for returning by mail and you’re going to end up disenfranchising voters,” Pellerin told CalMatters.

Secretary of State Shirley Weber has also defended the current system, saying accuracy must come before speed. In April, Weber dismissed some criticism of California’s vote-counting process as a political attack and said the priority should remain ensuring that valid ballots are counted.

“For me, accuracy is far more important,” Weber told CalMatters.

The issue is especially relevant in large Southern California counties, where election offices handle high numbers of mail ballots and must verify signatures, sort envelopes and process ballots under strict security rules. The work is labor-intensive and can extend for days or weeks after an election, depending on turnout and the number of ballots returned late in the voting period.

Mail ballots also cost more to process than in-person votes, requiring additional staff, equipment and time. The Public Policy Institute of California has reported that counties do not receive enough funding to easily expand staffing for faster counting. Unlike some states, California does not provide ongoing state funding to counties specifically for election administration.

Eric McGhee, a senior fellow at the institute, said county registrars are often trying to balance voter access, accuracy and limited budgets.

“They’re kind of managing the best they can with the budget that they have,” McGhee told CalMatters. “But it’s a lot to handle.”

Republicans have repeatedly criticized California’s slow reporting, arguing that a state with the size and resources of California should be able to produce results more quickly. Democrats counter that many of the proposals likely to speed up the count — such as shortening ballot return windows or requiring more voters to cast ballots in person — could reduce participation, especially among voters who rely on mail ballots because of work schedules, disability, transportation barriers or other challenges.

For now, the state appears unlikely to make sweeping changes. The debate is expected to continue as California heads toward future elections, with officials facing pressure to reassure voters that slow results do not mean unreliable results.

Original source: CalMatters

The post California Democrats Seek Faster Election Results but Warn Changes Could Hurt Voters appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

The latest debate followed California’s primary election, when it took about a week for enough votes to be counted to project the outcome of the high-profile governor’s race. The slow release of results attracted national attention, renewed accusations from election skeptics and prompted calls for reforms to make California’s vote count faster.

Election analyst Nate Silver called California an extreme outlier in how slowly it counts ballots compared with other states and industrialized democracies. Some online responses to the delays falsely suggested the extended count was evidence of manipulation. The New York Times editorial board also criticized California’s election system, arguing that delayed results can undermine public confidence and create openings for misinformation. Gov. Gavin Newsom has similarly urged counties to report results more quickly, warning that delays can weaken trust in the process.

But many California Democrats, including those who oversee election policy in Sacramento, say faster results cannot come at the expense of voters who rely on mail ballots or late voting options.

Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, a Democrat who chairs the Assembly elections committee and previously served as Santa Cruz County registrar, said same-night results would require major restrictions, such as a return to mostly in-person voting or earlier deadlines for mailed ballots.

“If you want results election night, you’re going to have to go back to in-person voting, way earlier deadlines for returning by mail, and you’re going to end up disenfranchising voters,” Pellerin said.

Pellerin said that despite public frustration, county elections offices are doing their jobs and continuing to process ballots carefully.

“It’s actually going really well, and elections officials are working around the clock, and we’re getting results,” she said.

Other Democratic lawmakers who have worked on election legislation, including Assemblymember Marc Berman of Palo Alto and Sen. Tom Umberg of Santa Ana, have also said they do not support restrictions on voting access as a way to accelerate results. Sen. Scott Wiener, a San Francisco Democrat who chairs the Senate elections committee and is running for Congress, said candidates may want quicker answers, but that cannot be the top priority.

“As a candidate, believe me, I would love for the counting to happen faster,” Wiener said. “I don’t think the right answer is disenfranchising people.”

Secretary of State Shirley Weber has also said accuracy should take precedence over speed. Weber, who is expected to win another term this fall, has previously dismissed some concerns about the slow count as echoing rhetoric used by President Donald Trump and his allies.

“I know the value of being fast for some folks,” Weber told CalMatters in April. “For me, accuracy is far more important.”

Some critics have focused on California’s rule allowing mail ballots to be counted if they arrive up to seven days after Election Day, as long as they are postmarked on time. That policy could face broader legal uncertainty as the U.S. Supreme Court considers whether to invalidate a similar law in Mississippi.

But election officials and researchers say much of California’s delay comes from the large number of mail ballots that arrive on Election Day or shortly before it — not only from ballots that arrive days later.

California adopted universal vote-by-mail during the pandemic, sending every registered voter a ballot. The system has become highly popular. In last year’s statewide special election, nearly 90% of votes were cast by mail. A decade ago, by comparison, fewer than 60% of voters in general elections used mail ballots.

Mail ballots, however, take more work to process than ballots cast in person and scanned at vote centers. Counties must verify registration, ensure voters have not cast multiple ballots and check signatures. That process requires time, staff, equipment and space.

Eric McGhee, a senior fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California, said counties have not received a consistent stream of state funding to match the demands of the vote-by-mail system.

“They’re kind of managing the best they can with the budget that they have,” McGhee said of county registrars. “But it’s a lot to handle.”

Unlike some states, California does not provide ongoing election administration funding to counties. Colorado, another universal vote-by-mail state, covers 45% of election costs when a statewide issue appears on the ballot. Hawaii shares expenses with counties for statewide and federal elections. Arizona reimburses counties $1.25 per active registered voter for presidential primaries.

In Yolo County, Registrar Jesse Salinas said more than half of the primary ballots that arrived this month were mail ballots returned on Election Day. He said only about 30% of ballots can be matched automatically by scanners, while the remaining 70% require human review.

“When people ask, ‘Well, why aren’t you working harder?’” Salinas said, he tells them that vote center staff work 19 straight days, including early voting periods that can last up to 15 days.

On Election Day, Salinas said, the Yolo County elections office is so packed with boxes of mail ballots that there is no room for additional machines or employees, even if funding were available. Handling more ballots quickly would require a larger facility.

“When you have that large volume hitting you at the 11th hour, there’s no way you can go through all of that in one night,” he said.

Orange County, by contrast, counted ballots more quickly this year after investing $4 million in new mail ballot processing equipment. Registrar Bob Page and his staff processed more than 807,000 ballots in a little over a week, with employees working from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and also working a Saturday shift.

Salinas said state funding would make a significant difference for counties. California paid for the costs of Newsom’s 2021 recall election and the 2025 statewide special election on redistricting, which allowed Yolo County to upgrade equipment.

But counties are facing other financial pressures, including the loss of federal and state Medi-Cal dollars and structural budget deficits that have forced departments to reduce spending. Even during an election year, Salinas said, his office was told to cut $1.1 million.

Original source: CalMatters

The post California Democrats Resist Stricter Voting Deadlines as Calls Grow for Faster Election Results appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

The reaction followed early results in California’s top-two primary system, where all candidates appear on the same ballot and the two highest vote-getters advance to the general election regardless of party. Republican Steve Hilton, a British-born former Fox News commentator, initially led a large field of 61 candidates for governor.

In Los Angeles, Republican Spencer Pratt also drew attention when early results showed him in second place in the mayor’s race after a campaign that included a series of artificial intelligence-generated parody videos targeting Mayor Karen Bass.

But as county election offices continued to count ballots, the standings shifted. Pratt later fell to third place. By Monday, Hilton remained in second place in the governor’s race, behind Democratic frontrunner Xavier Becerra, though his margin over billionaire Democrat Tom Steyer had narrowed to about five percentage points. The final outcome remained uncertain.

The changing numbers prompted complaints from some conservative media figures, podcasters and social media users about the length of California’s ballot-counting process. Some went further, alleging fraud without presenting evidence.

President Donald Trump joined those accusations during an interview aired Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” accusing California election officials of “cheating” because ballots were still being counted.

When interviewer Kristen Welker asked whether he had evidence, Trump responded, “All I have to do is look.”

Welker pressed him, noting that California’s vote-counting process routinely takes time. Trump rejected that explanation and called the elections “rigged,” also attacking NBC and the program. He eventually ended the interview, removed his microphone and left.

Other Republican officials amplified concerns about the count. House Speaker Mike Johnson said Monday that “everybody knows instinctively something is wrong.” On Friday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli posted on X that federal prosecutors were working with the FBI on “multiple election fraud investigations,” but he did not provide details.

There has been no public evidence presented showing widespread fraud in California’s primary.

California’s vote count often stretches for days or weeks because of the state’s election rules, especially its heavy reliance on mail ballots. The process has grown more time-consuming as lawmakers expanded access to voting over several decades.

Those changes were largely championed by Democrats, who have argued that easier access to ballots increases participation. Critics have long contended that the system benefits Democratic candidates in close races, but a slow count itself is not evidence of illegal activity.

The modern shift began after Democrats suffered a series of legislative setbacks in the late 1970s. Following the 1980 census, Democratic leaders redrew legislative and congressional districts and made absentee voting by mail more widely available.

That expansion did not immediately deliver the advantage Democrats expected. In 1982, Republicans made effective use of absentee ballots, helping George Deukmejian narrowly defeat Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley in the governor’s race despite polls that had suggested Bradley was favored to win.

Over time, California continued to broaden voter access. The state adopted automatic voter registration through the Department of Motor Vehicles and allowed voters to register on Election Day. The 2016 Voter Choice Act further encouraged mail voting while reducing the number of traditional polling places in participating counties.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, California has mailed ballots automatically to all registered voters. That change dramatically increased the number of mail ballots that county election workers must verify and process.

Election experts Eric McGhee of the Public Policy Institute of California and Mindy Romero of USC’s Center for Inclusive Democracy recently noted that the added volume has slowed the count. Each mail ballot requires signature verification to confirm that it was submitted by the proper voter, a security step intended to strengthen confidence in election results.

That safeguard, however, also contributes to the delay that critics have seized on to question the count.

The result is a recurring tension in California elections: rules designed to make voting more accessible and secure also make final results slower to arrive. As close races continue to develop after election night, the drawn-out process has increasingly become a target for political attacks and unsupported claims of fraud.

Original source: CalMatters

The post Trump Allies Amplify Unfounded Claims of California Voter Fraud appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

California has repeatedly drawn attention for reporting final election results more slowly than many other states. Last month, Gov. Gavin Newsom sent a letter to county elections officials urging them to “accurately count every legally cast vote as quickly as possible,” warning that misinformation and disinformation can spread in the gap between Election Day and the official certification of results.

The slower timeline is partly a result of voting changes California adopted to make casting a ballot easier, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic. Every registered voter is mailed a ballot, and mail ballots are valid as long as they are postmarked by Election Day and arrive at county elections offices within seven days.

California is one of eight states that allow all-mail elections, though deadlines for receiving postmarked ballots vary by state. Those grace periods could face changes as the U.S. Supreme Court considers whether states may require ballots to arrive by Election Day.

For mail ballots that arrive before Tuesday, elections workers can begin verifying signatures and preparing the ballots to be counted. Ballots that arrive later must go through that process after Election Day, slowing the release of results.

As of Monday afternoon, nearly 17% of California’s registered voters had cast ballots, according to Political Data Inc., a firm that analyzes election data. That early turnout rate was similar to the pace in 2022.

Paul Mitchell, the company’s founder, said he expects overall turnout to exceed the 2022 level. Early returns have shown stronger Republican participation, he said, while some Democrats who had not yet returned ballots are considered highly likely voters.

“There are a lot of indications that we’re probably headed toward a total turnout of 38% or 40%, rather than the 33% turnout we saw in 2022,” Mitchell said.

Election experts have also pointed to California’s large number of competitive districts and the state’s generous deadlines for voters to fix ballot problems as reasons some results can take longer to settle.

Several recent changes could affect how quickly Californians see results in certain races.

One major change involves the amount of time counties have to complete most ballot counting. Under Assembly Bill 5, signed into law last year, counties now have 13 days to finish counting most ballots, down from the previous 30-day window. Newsom highlighted the change during a news conference last week as a step toward speeding up the vote count.

County officials still have 30 days to finalize official election results.

Jesse Salinas, Yolo County’s top elections official and president of the California Association of Clerks and Election Officials, said the new 13-day requirement does not apply to ballots that take longer to process. Those include ballots from people who registered on Election Day and ballots with signature mismatches. State law gives voters several weeks to resolve those issues.

“I hear comments like, ‘We should be done by day 13,’ but that is not legally possible under state law,” Salinas said.

Another effort to speed up counting aims to reduce the large number of mail ballots dropped off on Election Day, which can delay processing, said Kim Alexander, president of the California Voter Foundation.

A survey by the foundation found that 26 of California’s 58 counties will give voters the option Tuesday to bring their mail ballot to the elections office, where it can be scanned and counted the same day as an in-person ballot. The option was authorized through Assembly Bill 626, approved in 2023.

In Placer County, where the system debuted in 2024 under the name “sign, scan and go,” officials said it reduced post-election processing time by about three to four days.

Not everyone agrees that California’s lengthy counting process fuels distrust in elections.

Mindy Romero, a political sociologist and director of the Center for Inclusive Democracy at the University of Southern California, said that criticism often rests on allegations of voter fraud that have been repeatedly debunked. She said the notion that elections are being manipulated has been “artificially created” by politicians such as President Donald Trump to undermine confidence in the electoral process.

“I don’t think we should focus on fixing something that is wrong or flawed, because that longer count is the product of making sure every vote is verified,” Romero said. “It is actually the opposite of the fraud allegations.”

Original source: CalMatters

The post California Voting Ends Tuesday, but Final Results Could Take Time appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

The delay is a familiar feature of California elections, where every registered voter is mailed a ballot and many votes arrive after Election Day. Under state law, mail ballots are counted as long as they are postmarked by Election Day and received by county election offices within seven days. Counties have deadlines to complete their counts, and the state has up to 38 days after Election Day to certify the final results.

That process could leave Californians waiting to see who advances in some of the state’s most closely watched contests, including the governor’s race.

Gov. Gavin Newsom last month urged election officials to “accurately count every lawfully cast ballot as quickly as possible.” Two changes may help speed the process this year. Proposition 50, which redraws congressional districts in a way expected to benefit Democrats, could make some races less competitive and easier for analysts and news organizations to project. A new state law also shortens the deadline for counties to finish counting most ballots to 13 days instead of 30.

The election is already notable for its cost. California is seeing its most expensive primary on record, driven in part by billionaire Democrat Tom Steyer, who has put $213 million of his own money into his campaign for governor. Candidates in other races have also contributed heavily to their own campaigns, with self-funded down-ballot candidates putting in roughly a quarter-billion dollars this year — the highest amount since California began tracking such spending nearly 30 years ago.

Supporters of self-funded candidates often argue that personal wealth can make a candidate less dependent on lobbyists or special interests. Critics counter that it raises questions about whether wealthy candidates can buy influence or access to public office.

Chris Anderson, a Lodi City Council candidate who has contributed to his own campaign, described the tension this way: “There is a part of me that likes the fact that a person is funding their own campaign because they’re less likely to be beholden to a special interest. But on the other hand, what special interests got them to where they are?”

In another development tied to the governor’s race, users of the prediction market platform Kalshi were giving Democrat Xavier Becerra a 74% chance of becoming governor in November as of Monday. At the same time, Kalshi itself donated $39,200 last week to Becerra’s campaign.

The contribution has prompted concerns from campaign finance watchdogs about whether a betting marketplace should give money to a candidate while its users are wagering on that same candidate’s political future.

Trent Lange, executive director of the California Clean Money Campaign, said the situation appears troubling. “It does seem especially problematic when a betting market is giving large contributions to any candidate that they are holding betting markets for,” Lange said.

Kalshi has recently expanded its political presence in Sacramento. Earlier this year, an advocacy group for prediction markets registered to lobby in California as part of a coalition that included Crypto.com, Coinbase and Robinhood. Since last year, Kalshi has increased its California political spending, donating $115,000 to state candidates, including Becerra.

Campaign money is also flowing in another long-running California political fight: the battle between tribal casinos and privately operated cardrooms.

A San Francisco judge last month handed tribal casinos a setback in their effort to stop cardrooms from offering blackjack-style games. Tribes have argued for years that they have exclusive rights to offer blackjack and other lucrative games. The dispute has drawn substantial campaign contributions to state officials and lawmakers from both sides.

Twenty-seven casino-owning tribes have given at least $15.8 million to current members of the Legislature, according to CalMatters’ Digital Democracy database. Roughly the same number of cardrooms and affiliated companies have donated at least $2.8 million to lawmakers.

Cardrooms have also contributed at least $244,000 to California Attorney General Rob Bonta, whose office has been involved in pursuing related gambling regulations. Tribes have given $531,000 to Bonta.

Jonathan Underland, a spokesperson for Bonta, told CalMatters that “Contributions have never impacted the Attorney General’s decision-making process.”

In the weeks leading up to Election Day, CalMatters and local partners held a series of voter engagement events around the state, drawing more than 600 Californians to discuss the issues driving their votes. As part of the VotingMatters events, CalMatters Director of Partnerships Dan Hu traveled more than 2,000 miles, meeting voters from Vallejo to Riverside.

Other statewide political commentary this week focused on the challenges awaiting California’s next governor, including the state’s troubled unemployment insurance system, which columnist Dan Walters described as burdened by worsening finances and debt. Christian Arana, vice president of civic power at the Latino Community Foundation, also argued that California should strengthen voting rights protections in response to a state voter ID initiative, federal proposals that could limit voting access and recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions affecting voter protections.

Additional coverage being followed across California includes scrutiny of the crowded governor’s race, concerns about internet campaign misinformation ahead of 2028, an AI-generated video posted by Republican Assembly candidate Darin Hale, a possible corruption case involving a San Joaquin Valley government agency, Bay Area graduates’ views on artificial intelligence, questions over whether local or state governments can stop a proposed ICE detention facility near Gilroy, Spencer Pratt’s strategy in the Los Angeles mayor’s race, vandalism and burned ballots under review in Los Angeles County, and the experience of transgender athlete AB Hernandez amid national political attacks.

Original source: CalMatters

The post Voters Head to Polls as Election Results Awaited appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

Across Southern California and the Inland Empire, voters are also weighing in on congressional contests that could help determine control of the U.S. House during the final two years of President Donald Trump’s term.

The statewide ballot includes races for lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, controller, treasurer, superintendent of public instruction, insurance commissioner and seats on the Board of Equalization. Voters are also selecting candidates for the California Assembly and state Senate.

In the closely watched governor’s race, recent polling has shown Democrats Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer running closely with Republican Steve Hilton. Under California’s top-two primary system, the two candidates who receive the most votes advance to the November general election, regardless of party affiliation.

Final outcomes may not be known immediately, especially in tight races. Ballots postmarked by Election Day may still be counted if they arrive by June 9. County election officials will continue processing ballots in the days ahead, and the California secretary of state has until July 10 to certify the official results.

Results are being updated as ballots are counted for statewide offices, U.S. House races, state Senate contests and Assembly races.

Original source: CalMatters

The post California Election Results: Live Updates as Votes Are Counted appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

The state has long been known for taking more time than many others to report complete election results. That is partly by design: California has expanded voting access in recent years, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic, by mailing a ballot to every registered voter and allowing ballots to be counted if they are postmarked by Election Day and arrive at county elections offices within seven days.

For voters across Southern California and the Inland Empire, that means early election night totals may offer only a partial picture, especially in close contests where late-arriving mail ballots, signature reviews and provisional ballots could affect the outcome.

Gov. Gavin Newsom last month urged county election officials to count legally cast ballots “as quickly as possible” while maintaining accuracy. In a letter to local registrars, he warned that delays between Election Day and certification can create space for misinformation and disinformation to spread.

Still, election officials and voting experts say the state’s process is not simply a matter of slow counting. It includes multiple steps required under California law to verify ballots and protect voters’ rights.

Mail ballots that arrive before Election Day can be reviewed in advance, including signature verification and preparation for tabulation. But ballots dropped off on Election Day or received in the following week must go through that same process later, which can slow the release of updated results.

As of Monday afternoon, nearly 17% of registered California voters had returned ballots, according to Political Data Inc., a voter data firm. That pace was similar to the 2022 midterm election.

Paul Mitchell, founder of Political Data Inc., said he expects overall turnout to exceed the 2022 level. He pointed to stronger early turnout among Republicans and noted that many Democrats who had not yet returned ballots are frequent voters.

“There’s a lot of evidence here that we’re probably headed towards 38%, 40% turnout in total, rather than 33% which was the turnout in 2022,” Mitchell said.

Several recent changes are intended to speed up the process. Under Assembly Bill 5, signed into law last year, counties now have 13 days to complete counting most ballots, rather than 30 days. Counties still have 30 days to certify official results.

Newsom cited the change during a recent news conference as part of the state’s effort to produce election results more quickly.

But local election officials caution that the new deadline does not apply to every category of ballot. Jesse Salinas, Yolo County’s elections chief and president of the California Association of Clerks and Elections Officials, said some of the most time-consuming ballots are excluded from the 13-day requirement. Those include ballots from voters who registered on Election Day and ballots with signature issues that must be resolved under state law.

“I’m hearing these comments about ‘We should be done by the 13th day’ — that’s legally not possible by state law,” Salinas said.

California also gives voters time to correct certain problems, such as a missing or mismatched signature. Voting rights advocates say that process helps ensure eligible voters are not disenfranchised, but it also contributes to the longer wait for final results.

Another change could reduce the number of mail ballots that pile up at drop boxes and elections offices on Election Day. According to a survey by the California Voter Foundation, 26 of California’s 58 counties will allow voters to bring their mail ballots to an elections office Tuesday and have them scanned and counted that day as in-person ballots.

That option was authorized by Assembly Bill 626, passed in 2023. In Placer County, where officials introduced a version of the system in 2024 called “sign, scan and go,” the county reported that it reduced post-election processing time by about three to four days.

Kim Alexander, president of the California Voter Foundation, said the shift is aimed at easing the late surge of mail ballots that otherwise must be processed after polls close.

California is one of eight states that allow all elections to be conducted by mail, with different rules for how long ballots may arrive after Election Day if postmarked on time. Those grace periods are now under scrutiny nationally, as the U.S. Supreme Court considers whether states may require mail ballots to be received by Election Day.

The pace of California’s vote count has also drawn political attention because the state has a large number of closely contested districts. In such races, incomplete returns can leave candidates and voters waiting while counties continue processing ballots.

Some election experts reject the idea that slower counting is evidence of a flawed system.

Mindy Romero, a political sociologist and director of the Center for Inclusive Democracy at USC, said concerns about delays have often been tied to unfounded claims of voter fraud. She said the lengthy count reflects the safeguards built into the system, not evidence of tampering.

“I think the focus should not be on fixing something that is flawed or wrong, because that long count is a product of making sure that every ballot is verified — indeed, just the opposite of the claims around fraud,” Romero said.

Original source: CalMatters

The post California Voting Wraps Up Tuesday, but Results Could Take Days or Weeks appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

Voters statewide have about one day left to determine which two candidates will advance under California’s top-two primary system. Recent nonpartisan polling has shown Democrat Xavier Becerra leading the field, while Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Tom Steyer are running close for the second spot.

Although millions of Californians have already returned ballots, turnout remains relatively low, in line with past gubernatorial primaries. As of Sunday, 15.10% of ballots had been submitted statewide, according to Political Data Inc., a voter data firm. That is slightly ahead of the pace in the June 2022 primary, when 14.53% of ballots had been returned three days before Election Day.

The overall numbers, however, mask a partisan shift. Democratic voters are returning ballots more slowly than they did four years ago. About 15% of Democratic ballots have been submitted so far, compared with 17% at the same point in 2022. Republicans, meanwhile, are returning ballots at a faster pace, with 19% submitted compared with 17% four years ago.

Paul Mitchell, vice president of Political Data Inc., said several factors may be contributing to the stronger Republican return rate. Republican voters have a smaller field to choose from, with two major candidates, while Democrats are sorting through six leading contenders. Republicans also have a history of voting early by mail, a habit that appears to be returning after President Donald Trump discouraged mail voting in 2020.

The more significant hesitation, Mitchell said, appears to be among older white Democrats, some of whom may still be undecided or waiting to cast ballots strategically. Under California’s primary system, the two candidates who receive the most votes advance to November regardless of party, making it possible for two candidates from the same party to face each other in the general election.

That has raised concerns among some Democrats that, in a crowded field, their party could risk splitting its vote and affecting who makes the runoff.

“All the stories about two Republicans making the runoff, they might be calculating their vote to make sure that they’re voting in a way that is strategic to make sure that a Democrat gets onto the general election,” Mitchell said.

Kevin Callan, also with Political Data Inc., said Democratic voters may not be firmly attached to one candidate but still understand the importance of the primary outcome.

“Democrat voters know that whichever Democrat candidate makes it into the runoff will be our next governor,” Callan said. “That adds more weight to their decision.”

For voters in Southern California and the Inland Empire, the stakes are the same as the rest of the state: choosing who will compete in November to lead California for the next four years. With many ballots still outstanding, the final results may depend heavily on voters who waited until the last moment to make their choice.

Original source: CalMatters

The post California Governor’s Race Faces Uncertainty as Democrats Hold Ballots in Reserve appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

Recent nonpartisan polling shows a competitive fight for the two November runoff spots under California’s top-two primary system. Democrat Xavier Becerra has been leading in three polls released last week, while Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Tom Steyer are closely competing for second place.

Voters across California, including in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, are deciding which two candidates will advance to the general election to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom and lead the state for the next four years.

Although millions of ballots have already been returned, turnout remains modest, consistent with recent gubernatorial primaries. As of Sunday, 15.10% of ballots statewide had been submitted, according to Political Data Inc., a voter data firm. That is slightly higher than the 14.53% return rate recorded three days before Election Day in the June 2022 primary.

The overall number, however, masks a notable partisan shift. Democratic voters are returning ballots more slowly than they did four years ago. About 15% of Democratic ballots had been submitted as of the latest count, compared with 17% at the same point in 2022. Republicans, by contrast, are turning in ballots at a higher rate than last cycle, with 19% returned compared with 17% four years ago.

Paul Mitchell, vice president of Political Data Inc., said several factors may be contributing to the faster Republican return rate. GOP voters are choosing between only two major candidates, while Democrats are sorting through a larger field that includes six leading contenders. Republicans also have a long history of voting early by mail, a pattern that appears to be reemerging after former President Donald Trump discouraged mail voting during the 2020 election.

Among Democrats, Mitchell said the most pronounced delay is among older white voters, many of whom may still be undecided or waiting to vote strategically. Because California’s primary sends the top two vote-getters to November regardless of party, some Democrats may be considering how best to prevent two Republicans from advancing to the general election.

Mitchell said those voters may be trying to cast ballots in a way that improves the odds of at least one Democrat making the runoff.

Kevin Callan, also with Political Data Inc., said the decision carries added weight for Democratic voters who believe the Democrat who reaches November is likely to become California’s next governor. Even voters who are not enthusiastic about any one candidate, he said, may recognize that their primary choice could shape the state’s political direction for years.

Original source: CalMatters

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