Seventeen days after the primary voting concluded in California, a significant number of ballots, around 56,000, remain uncounted. This delay leaves several congressional and legislative races still undecided, highlighting a recurring question: why does it take so long to finalize election results, particularly in California? While the uncounted ballots represent less than 1% of the 7.7 million votes cast, the extended timeframe for counting raises concerns and prompts inquiries about the efficiency of the vote-counting process.
California’s move to mail ballots to all registered voters, initiated for the November 2020 election, aimed to increase accessibility. This year, approximately 50% of ballots were tallied on primary night, March 5th. However, processing mail-in ballots inherently adds time to the overall count. Ballots postmarked by Election Day and received within seven days afterward are still eligible to be counted. Furthermore, election officials undertake a series of meticulous steps to uphold the integrity of each ballot. These essential verification processes often cannot commence until after Election Day, contributing to the extended duration. Variations in staffing levels and resource allocation across different counties also play a role in the speed at which votes are processed and counted. As of a recent Friday, only 14 out of California’s 58 counties had completed their vote tallies, illustrating the uneven pace of vote counting across the state.
Ryan Ronco, president of the California Association of Clerks and Election Officials, emphasizes that the process extends beyond simply counting ballots. “It’s not just about counting ballots, although that is critically important,” Ronco stated. “It’s also about counting ballots accurately with staff that you have that can commit to that project — knowing that there are also other legally required projects that we need to complete during this period.” This highlights the complexity of election administration, where accuracy and legal compliance are paramount, alongside the timely counting of votes.
Counties that have completed their counts range from smaller jurisdictions to larger ones like San Francisco. Los Angeles County, the most populous in California, has processed over 1.6 million ballots but still has approximately 4,000 remaining. This illustrates that even with advanced resources, the sheer volume of ballots in densely populated areas can contribute to delays.
The protracted vote counting period can erode voter trust, raising questions about the transparency and efficiency of elections. To address these concerns and expedite the process, California has enacted new legislation. One law now permits counties to scan mail-in ballots immediately upon receipt from in-person drop-offs. Placer County, for example, utilized this system in the recent primary, processing around 8,000 ballots this way. Another recently implemented law allows election officials to contact voters via email or text message for quicker signature verification, streamlining the process of resolving ballot discrepancies.
However, these laws are newly enacted, taking effect on January 1st, and not all counties have yet fully adopted or integrated these changes due to resource or logistical constraints. In Orange County, for instance, notification letters for signature verification were sent out as late as March 13th, with voters having a limited window to respond. Counties are also actively processing provisional and conditional ballots and addressing issues related to damaged or improperly marked ballots, all of which contribute to the overall timeline.
The deadlines for final result submission are set for April 2nd for presidential primaries and April 5th for other state races, with the Secretary of State certifying the final primary results by April 12th. These deadlines provide a structured timeframe for counties to complete their counts and ensure accuracy. In conclusion, the extended vote counting period in California is a multifaceted issue stemming from mail-in ballot procedures, rigorous accuracy measures, varying county resources, and adherence to legal deadlines. While new laws aim to accelerate the process, their full impact and widespread adoption are still unfolding, as California strives to balance election integrity with the timely delivery of election results and maintain voter confidence.
