Ongoing Vote Counting in California Primary
Three days after Californians voted in the primary election, several important races remain too close to call, with experts warning that vote counting could continue for several more days.
Governor’s Race Tight as Counting Progresses
In the governor’s race, British-born conservative commentator Steve Hilton held a narrow lead with approximately 60% of ballots counted by Friday morning. Former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary under President Joe Biden, Xavier Becerra, closely trailed Hilton, while billionaire Tom Steyer was behind both candidates. The top two vote-getters will advance to the general election in November.
Los Angeles Mayoral Race Still Uncertain
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass learned on Tuesday evening that she would advance to defend her seat. However, it remains unclear whether she will face former reality TV star Spencer Pratt or progressive city councilor Nithya Raman. With an estimated 65% of votes counted, Pratt was leading Raman, but the rankings could still change significantly.
Residents may have to wait weeks to learn the final candidates for the November election. According to state law, California counties must complete ballot counting by June 15. However, certain ballots are exempt from this deadline, including mail-in ballots postmarked by election day and received by June 9, which can be processed beyond the deadline.
Democratic Votes Expected to Influence Final Results
Experts anticipate that many of the remaining uncounted votes will favor Democratic candidates. This expectation is based on the observation that Republicans are more likely to return ballots early or vote in person on election day, and those ballots are typically counted first. A larger-than-usual number of Democrats delayed casting their votes this year as they considered which candidate had the best chance of advancing to the top two slots.
“What compounds things this time around is that Democrats have been holding on to their ballots,” said Richard Hasen, a University of California, Los Angeles law professor.
Controversy and Claims of Election Irregularities
Despite the ongoing tabulation, former President Donald Trump declared victory for his favored candidate, Steve Hilton. Trump accused California of election rigging and stated that the Department of Justice would open an investigation, though it remains unclear if such an investigation has been initiated.
“We don’t want cheating in our elections. You see it in California. Those numbers are coming down rapidly. They found a lot of mail-in ballots last night, shockingly. We don’t want that,” Trump said in the Oval Office on Thursday.
The office of Governor Gavin Newsom posted a clip from CNN explaining how California prioritizes accuracy and accessibility over speed in vote counting.
“For the record: we wish the votes were counted faster, too,” Newsom’s office posted.
Last year, Governor Newsom signed legislation requiring vote counts to be completed within 13 days, a reduction from the previous 30-day period. Counties seeking an extension must notify the Secretary of State’s office with a valid reason for the delay.
Marc Berman, a Democratic state assemblymember who authored the bill to accelerate ballot counting, criticized Trump’s comments as misleading.
“While Trump is laser focused on lying about our elections and undermining voters’ faith in our democracy, so that Republicans can then try to pass policies like Voter ID laws that make it harder for people to vote, our priority is to make sure that every validly cast ballot is counted,” he said in a statement.
In a video posted on X, Hilton criticized the state’s counting process as “just another shambles brought to you by California Democrats,” but also stated that his campaign has not seen any indication that legal action will be necessary.
Congressional Races Also Remain Unresolved
Several congressional races in California remain too close to call. In the sixth congressional district, which was redrawn to favor Democrats, Kevin Kiley, a former Republican now serving as an independent congressman, was leading. Republican Michael Stansfield was in second place, narrowly ahead of Democrat Richard Pan, a former state lawmaker, with tens of thousands of votes still to be counted.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
