California Has an Election Problem
Summary
California holds a primary election to choose leaders, including the next governor, but the state counts votes much slower than other big democracies and U.S. states. This slow process is due to laws that aim to count every vote accurately, including mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day if postmarked on time.Key Facts
- California is the U.S. state with the slowest vote-counting process.
- The state mails ballots to all registered voters, and most people vote by mail.
- Ballots can arrive up to seven days after Election Day if they have the correct postmark.
- Officials verify signatures on ballots and may contact voters to fix any issues.
- Provisional and late registration ballots require extra checks before counting.
- The final official count and certification can take up to 30 days after the election.
- California prioritizes "maximum participation" and accuracy over speed in its elections.
- Despite these efforts, voter turnout dropped by about 5 percentage points in 2024 compared to 2020.
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