Why We Might Not Know California’s Election Results for Days

California’s primary election on Tuesday will close polls at 8 p.m. Pacific time, but results—especially in the governor’s race—may not be known for days. The state’s reliance on mail ballots, which require manual signature verification and processing, has historically slowed vote counting. This year’s delay is exacerbated by last-minute submissions, as many voters waited until Election Day to mail ballots, potentially leaving millions outstanding. Early in-person votes and mail ballots received weeks prior will be released shortly after polls close, providing an incomplete initial tally. Vote centers will report Election Day in-person results later on Tuesday, but most mail ballots—including those submitted late—will take days to process. Republicans submitted ballots faster than Democrats, which could initially favor Steve Hilton, the Trump-endorsed GOP front-runner. However, late polls show Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer trailing but likely to gain as more mail ballots are counted, with the top two candidates advancing to November’s general election. A 2023 state law requires counties to certify results within 13 days, though funding for faster processing remains insufficient. Governor Gavin Newsom urged counties to expedite counting to counter disinformation delays. Kim Alexander of the California Voter Foundation called for increased funding to improve equipment and staffing, while also encouraging earlier voting to reduce last-minute bottlenecks. The governor’s race remains uncertain, with Democrats expected to benefit from delayed mail ballot processing. While past elections have taken weeks to finalize, officials aim to avoid prolonged uncertainty this year. Voters can track unofficial results on California’s election portal after polls close, though full clarity may require days of additional counting.