Californians went to the polls Tuesday, but the final results of the state's primary election may not be known for days—or even weeks—as election officials process a flood of mail ballots.
Under state law, mail-in ballots are valid as long as they are postmarked by Election Day and arrive at county election offices by June 9. Voters can also drop off their ballots at any polling place or official drop box in the state until 8 p.m. PDT on Tuesday. Secretary of State Shirley Weber (D) has urged voters to return their ballots promptly to speed up the tally.
Election officials can begin processing mail ballots as early as 29 days before the election, and this year, counties began accepting completed ballots at secure drop boxes on May 5. But the extended return window means that tight races—especially in high-turnout areas like Los Angeles County and San Diego County—may not be called until well after Election Day.
“Hey California! Remember it takes time to count all votes,” Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) wrote on X. “So regardless of who you support, if a race is close it may take a few days to get the result.” He added, “Some races will be clear tonight, but others may not be. Now go vote for your favorite candidates!”
State lawmakers have taken steps to accelerate the process. Assembly Bill 5, signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) in October, reduces the time counties have to count most ballots from 30 days to 13 days after an election. That applies to provisional ballots and those requiring signature verification. If a county cannot meet the deadline, it must file an extension notice with Weber’s office, explaining the delay.
Another measure, Assembly Bill 626, allows voters to return their mail ballot on Election Day and have it counted as an in-person vote. However, only 31 of California’s 58 counties offer this option, according to the California Voter Foundation. Los Angeles County, the state’s most populous, does not participate.
In a letter to county clerks last month, Newsom acknowledged the challenges of administering elections and stressed the need to “continue building confidence” through an orderly vote-counting process. “We must acknowledge that the longer the voting count takes, the more mis- and disinformation spreads,” the governor wrote. “That means we must do all that we can to tabulate votes quickly and accurately. Time is of the essence in preventing election lies from taking hold.”
As of Monday, more than 4.2 million mail ballots had been returned and accepted statewide, out of 23.3 million ballots mailed to voters. Los Angeles County alone sent ballots to nearly 6 million voters, while San Diego County mailed more than 2 million. Election officials accepted over 98.9 percent of returned ballots, according to Weber’s office.
The slow count has implications for several competitive races, including the Los Angeles mayoral primary, where political strategists warn Mayor Karen Bass faces a serious reelection threat. The outcome of that race, along with key House primaries shaped by redistricting and open seats, may remain uncertain for days.
