Here's why counting votes in California is taking so long

It could take weeks - or even a month - before we know who won elections in California and Los Angeles. California elections: Results in Los Angeles are slow, but that's expected Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Incumbent mayor Karen Bass holds her hand up in a wave as she speaks at a microphone in front of supporters Here's why counting votes in California is taking so long Every registered voter in California receives a mail-in ballot, which must be posted or dropped into a ballot box by election day to be counted. A person places their Mail in ballot into a ballot box during early voting outside of the LA County Registrar-Recorder building on 1 June 2026 in Norwalk, California. Election results are still trickling in for primary races across California, including in Los Angeles, where incumbent Mayor Karen Bass is up against reality-star-turned challenger Spencer Pratt to lead the city. But the days-long delay in knowing who won these Tuesday races is a common occurrence in California - the most populous US state that's home to about 23 million registered voters. Counting these votes - including the millions of mail-in ballots could take weeks. That's due to a meticulous vote-counting process, compounded by the broad use of mail-in ballots, which are mailed to every registered voter in California. An estimated 80% of California votes are cast by mail and those ballots need to be sorted, validated and counted. Mail-in ballots are valid as long as they are posted by election day and arrive to county election offices by 9 June, the day before they are certified by the state's election authority. On election night, California Secretary of State Shirley N Weber confirmed the delayed results are "normal" and called on all Californians "to be patient", despite US President Donald Trump's claims of "BIG cheating" in the deeply liberal state. Here's what's actually going in in California. An election worker moves mail-in ballots to be organised for counting at the Los Angeles County Ballot Processing Center during in the City of Industry, California, on 2 June 2026. An election worker moves mail-in ballots to be organised for tabulation at the Los Angeles County Ballot Processing Center during California's state primary election in the City of Industry, California, on 2 June 2026. Election officials across the California's 58 counties have up to 30 days after election day to count ballots. Final results must be reported to the California Secretary of State by 3 July and the secretary will certify results on 10 July 2026. But Trump has claimed that Democrats are "trying to steal" elections in the state due to the delay in finalised results. Mail-in voting has long irked the president, who repeatedly claimed without proof that the 2020 US election against President Joe Biden was "stolen" from him. In April, he signed an executive order to limit the practise by creating lists of US citizens who are eligible to vote in each state. Experts and critics have said he lacks the authority to do this. Mail-in voting has long irked the president, who repeatedly claimed without proof that the 2020 US election against President Joe Biden was "stolen" from him. In April, he signed to limit the practise by creating lists of US citizens who are eligible to vote in each state. Experts and critics have said he lacks the authority to do this. The president has also claimed that federal prosecutors in Los Angeles are investigating votes cast, but California Governor Gavin Newsom's office has said on social media that Trump is "lying about California again". A spokesperson for the US Attorney's Office in Los Angeles declined to comment on Trump's remarks when contacted by the BBC. Trump doubled down on Thursday, claiming again without proof that Democrats in California "are stealing" the election and urged Congress to pass the Save America Act - legislation that would require Americans to prove they are US citizens when they register to vote. In a later post on X, Newsom's office reposted an explainer to combat misinformation, adding: "And yes, for the record: we wish the votes were counted faster, too." Mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt hosts a campaign "block party" event on 10th Avenue in Los Angeles He was a reality show villain. Can he be the mayor of one of America's largest cities? What do initial results in the governor's race show? While early votes are counted ahead of time, those results cannot be publicly disclosed until after polls close on election day. Initial results from Tuesday night included early mail-in, early in-person and day-of ballots. Those results indicate that British-American former TV host Steve Hilton, a Republican vying for governor, has the lead. Trump took to social media on Wednesday to congratulate Hilton "on coming in first" in the crowded gubernatorial race. British-American former TV host Steve Hilton , a Republican vying for governor, has the lead. Trump took to social media on Wednesday to congratulate Hilton "on coming in first" in the crowded gubernatorial race. But that lead could change, because a little over half of the ballots have been counted so far. According to the Associated Press, an estimated 56% of votes have been counted on Thursday. Hilton holds 27.6% (1.42m) of the vote, while his Democrat rivals - Biden cabinet secretary Xavier Becerra and billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer - have 25.6% (1.32m) and 19.8% (1.02m) of the vote, respectively. In California, the state's "jungle primary" system picks the two contenders with the most votes to proceed to the general election regardless of party affiliation. Dozens of Democrat hopefuls jumped into the crowded field to replace Newsom, who has reached his term limit. What's happening in the Los Angeles mayor's race? A television screen shows Spencer Pratt, from left, Karen Bass and Nithya Raman taking part in the Los Angeles Mayoral debate at Skirball Cultural Center on 6 May 2026 in Los Angeles. In the city of Los Angeles, incumbent Bass has advanced to the November runoff but became the city's first sitting mayor who failed to earn the 50% of votes needed to avoid a runoff since 2005. As of Thursday, she had 35% of the vote. In the city of Los Angeles, incumbent Bass has but became the city's first sitting mayor who failed to earn the 50% of votes needed to avoid a runoff since 2005. As of Thursday, she had 35% of the vote. She could face off against The Hills reality star Pratt, who holds 29,9% of the vote, or fellow Democrat, and Los Angeles city council member Nithya Raman, who is at 22.8%. The race is still too close to call who might run against Bass in the November election. Los Angeles County, which includes the city of Los Angeles, is home to nearly 6 million registered voters - a number that exceeds the voting population in 41 US states. It is the most populous county in the country and Los Angeles is the second most populous city in the US. Vote-by-mail ballots postmarked on or before election day and received within seven days after the election, as well as any provisional ballots cast, must still be counted, the California secretary of state said. Counting the ballots across the sprawling region takes time, but delays also stem from the onerous task of verifying voter signatures on each mail-in ballot envelope match those on file. If the signature doesn't match or is missing, the voter is notified and has until two days before the election is certified to fix the mistake. County elections officials will report the results for most ballots by 15 June, nearly a fortnight after the 2 June election. "California elections officials prioritise the right to vote and election security over rushing the vote count. We have a process that by law ensures both voting rights and the integrity of elections, so I would call on all Californians to be patient," Weber said in a statement on election night. Both candidates appear on stage near a podium. They are shaking hands and smiling. Ex-UK political aide and Biden cabinet secretary lead California governor primary vote count This is a head and shoulders pic of Karen Bass who is smiling broadly and wearing a grey, checked suit. The background, slightly out of focus, appears to be red seating Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass advances to run-off in race to run California's biggest city This week, the US proposed new tariffs on dozens of countries including India over concerns of forced labour. Some 18 Republicans joined the Democrats to back the measure, after a smaller group broke ranks on another vote in recent days. The insect, which has been found in America for the first time since 1966, is a growing concern in the southern US. Trump's former advisor turned critic had reached a deal with prosecutors, two people said. The auction has already brought in thousands in bids and includes intimate items from her life. 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