California’s Unresolved Election Results Attributed to Vote-by-Mail System

Election law expert Hans von Spakovsky pointed out that the ongoing uncertainty surrounding California’s election results stems from the state’s vote-by-mail system. This ongoing process permits votes to be verified and counted even days, or sometimes weeks, after Election Day.

According to von Spakovsky, ballots from the June 2 primary election are still being processed, which is largely due to California’s election laws and administrative procedures that extend the counting timeline. This isn’t a matter of unexpected complications; rather, it’s how the electoral system is structured before results are officially finalized.

“There are four main reasons for the delays here,” von Spakovsky, a senior legal fellow at Advancing American Freedom, explained in a conversation with FOX News Digital. “To start, we now rely almost entirely on mail-in voting.”

The Los Angeles mayoral race is currently drawing national attention, particularly as Republican candidate Spencer Pratt awaits the final tally that will determine his matchup with Democrat Nitya Raman. Following the primary, he will take on incumbent Democrat Karen Bass in the runoff scheduled for November. Other candidates such as former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, Republican Steve Hilton, and Democrat Tom Steyer are also competing for the top spots in the state’s jungle primary for the upcoming general election.

Von Spakovsky enumerated four factors contributing to the slow counting process: the large influx of mail-in ballots, a seven-day voting cushion post-Election Day, a lengthy period for resolving signature issues, and the significant number of provisional ballots requiring individual scrutiny. Among these, he emphasized that California’s mail-in voting rules are particularly concerning, as they drastically hinder the speed at which votes can be counted. With most ballots arriving by mail, election officials must invest extra time to verify and process them, extending the overall timeline for delivering final results.

He mentioned that while in-person voting is an option, mail-in ballots represent the majority—specifically, out of the 16 million votes cast in the 2024 presidential election, around 13 million were mailed. “Processing mail-in ballots takes significantly longer than in-person voting,” he acknowledged.

Vote-by-mail methods became more popular during the pandemic, as they allow voters to avoid long queues while casting their votes from home. As of now, ballots continue to be collected, and once the voting period is over, counties will have extra time to process and verify these votes, which means counting is expected to carry on until June 15th.

Von Spakovsky also pointed to the vulnerability within the mail-in counting process, particularly concerning postmark issues. “California law allows absentee and mail-in ballots to be counted if they’re received within seven days post-Election Day, provided they are postmarked by then. If a ballot lacks a postmark or has a blurred one, we end up counting the date the voter wrote on the inside of the envelope,” he clarified.

He criticized what he sees as overly lenient election rules in the state, highlighting the absence of voter ID requirements and automatic voter registration, along with lengthy post-election ballot processing times, which he believes opens the door to potential fraud.

Notably, California is one of eight states, in addition to Washington, D.C., to automatically mail ballots to all active registered voters under its universal vote-by-mail policy.

This week, former President Donald Trump lashed out at California’s election process and mentioned that U.S. attorneys are currently investigating election matters in Los Angeles due to the ongoing uncertainty regarding the mayor’s race.

“While I can’t provide specifics on ongoing investigations, our office is collaborating with the FBI on multiple inquiries into election fraud,” stated Bill Esseri, the First Assistant U.S. Attorney for California’s Central District. “We are determined to pursue evidence wherever it takes us, prosecuting violations of federal election law to the fullest extent,” he added.

Esseri also addressed broader voter registration issues, claiming that the state has obstructed efforts to ensure only eligible citizens vote. “This case is under review by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. We will not ignore this matter. Every legal vote needs to be counted, while every illegal vote undermines the system,” he remarked.

Democrats have largely minimized concerns regarding the lengthy vote-counting process. Becerra suggested that complaints about the delay serve to undermine confidence in the electoral system. “We are committed to counting every vote. Thank you for your patience as we give our democracy the time it needs to work,” Steyer added, referring to recent statements from Trump regarding the election.

Rumors have been circulating on social media since June 2, including assertions that Pratt garnered no votes out of approximately 24,000 cast in Los Angeles. The California Attorney General’s Office responded to such claims, labeling them as “lies” and “disinformation.”

Earlier this year, California’s governor wrote to state election officials urging them to expedite the counting of votes in upcoming elections, underscoring the need to bolster public confidence in the voting process. “We need to keep trust in our elections, ensuring every vote is both counted and believed. The longer the count takes, the more room there is for misinformation to spread. It is crucial we act quickly and accurately,” the letter stated.

Fox News Digital has requested additional comment from the governor’s office.