California Vote Count Continues, Leaving Governor and LA Mayor Races Unresolved
Count continues after June 2 primary as mail-in ballots arriving through June 9 keep top races unsettled; final reporting due by 3 July and certification on 10 July 2026.
The Gateway PunditWATCH: Trump Says "They're Rigging the Election" in California as Counting Continues - "They Found a Lot of Mail-in Ballots Last Night" * The Gateway Pundit * by Jordan Conradson
CBS NewsWhy does it take so long to count votes in California? Here's why the process may feel even slower this election
BBC NewsCalifornia elections: Results in Los Angeles are slow, but that's expected
MEDIAite‘They Found a Lot of Mail-In Ballots!’ Trump Baselessly Accuses California of ‘Rigging’ Elections as Democrats Gain on Spencer Pratt and Steve Hilton
Overview
Counties continued counting mail-in ballots from the June 2 primary, leaving key races, including the governor's and Los Angeles mayoral contests, unresolved.
The delay reflects California rules that allow ballots postmarked by June 2 to arrive through June 9 and give counties up to 30 days to tally ballots.
President Donald Trump alleged without evidence that Democrats were stealing the election and said the Justice Department was investigating the count, prompting Gov. Gavin Newsom's office to call the claims false.
As of Thursday 56% of votes were counted; Steve Hilton led the governor's race with 27.6% (1.42 million), while in Los Angeles Karen Bass had 35%, Spencer Pratt 29.9% and Nithya Raman 22.8%.
County officials expect to report most ballot results by 15 June, final results must be reported to the Secretary of State by 3 July, and the state will certify results on 10 July 2026.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the slow California count as routine and evidence-based, prioritizing election officials' explanations and legal details while casting claims of fraud as unproven. Editorial choices—terms like "without proof", selection of Secretary of State and governor rebuttals, and emphasis on mail‑ballot rules—relegate Trump’s allegations to disputed source content.