Why Finalizing Election Outcomes in the Nation’s Second-Largest City Takes So Long

Election outcomes across California are emerging gradually, with Los Angeles serving as a prime example of this protracted process. In the city’s mayoral race, incumbent Karen Bass is facing off against reality television personality Spencer Pratt. However, the extended period required to determine the victors in Tuesday’s primaries is a standard occurrence in the most populous US state, which houses approximately 23 million registered voters.

The lengthy timeline stems from a rigorous counting procedure amplified by the widespread reliance on mail-in voting. In California, ballots are sent to every registered voter, and it is estimated that 80% of all votes are cast via mail. These ballots must undergo sorting, validation, and counting. To be considered valid, mail-in ballots must be postmarked by election day and received by county election offices no later than June 9, the day preceding state certification.

California Secretary of State Shirley N Weber described the delayed results as "normal" on election night, urging citizens to remain patient. This statement came in response to assertions by US President Donald Trump, who alleged "BIG cheating" in the heavily Democratic state.

The Certification Timeline

Election administrators in all 58 California counties have up to 30 days following the election to complete their ballot counts. Final results are due to the Secretary of State by July 3, with official certification scheduled for July 10, 2026.

Despite these established procedures, Trump has accused Democrats of attempting to "steal" elections due to the delay in finalizing outcomes. This aligns with his longstanding criticism of mail-in voting, including his unsubstantiated claims that the 2020 election against President Joe Biden was "stolen." In April, Trump signed an executive order aimed at restricting the practice by generating lists of eligible US citizens for each state. However, experts and critics have noted that the president likely lacks the legal authority to implement such measures.

Furthermore, Trump asserted that federal prosecutors in Los Angeles are investigating the votes cast. Governor Gavin Newsom’s office responded on social media, stating that Trump is "lying about California again." When approached by the BBC, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles US Attorney’s Office declined to comment on Trump’s remarks.

On Thursday, Trump reiterated his baseless claims that Democrats in California were "stealing" the election and called on Congress to enact the Save America Act. This legislation would mandate that Americans prove their US citizenship when registering to vote. Later, Newsom’s office shared an informational post on X to counter misinformation, adding, "And yes, for the record: we wish the votes were counted faster, too."

Gubernatorial Race Developments

While early votes are tallied in advance, they cannot be released publicly until after polls close on election day. The initial figures released Tuesday night combined early mail-in, early in-person, and day-of ballots. These preliminary results show that Steve Hilton, a Republican and former TV host, is currently in the lead for governor.

President Trump congratulated Hilton on social media on Wednesday for "coming in first" in the competitive gubernatorial contest. However, this standing is precarious, as only slightly more than half of the ballots have been processed. As of Thursday, the Associated Press reported that an estimated 56% of votes had been counted.

Current standings show Hilton with 27.6% of the vote (1.42 million), followed by Democratic candidates Xavier Becerra, a former Biden cabinet secretary, with 25.6% (1.32 million), and billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer with 19.8% (1.02 million).

California’s "jungle primary" system requires the two candidates with the highest vote totals to advance to the general election, irrespective of their party affiliation. This structure has drawn dozens of Democratic contenders into the race to succeed Governor Newsom, who is barred from running again due to term limits.

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-06-04 22:20:24 UTC