Key Takeaways:
– California has over 22 million registered voters and approximately 5 million ballots still to be counted after the election.
– The delay in counting is intentional, giving officials time to verify and count every valid ballot.
– Most of the unprocessed ballots are vote-by-mail ballots, which require a unique verification process.
– Voters had several avenues to submit their vote-by-mail ballots, contributing to the lengthy counting process.
– California allows votes to be accepted up to seven days after the election, if postmarked by election day.
– The state gives counties 30 days to finalize their tallies and consolidate election results.
– Decisive election waits are growing further due to only top two candidates being left on the ballots.
The Week After Election: California Still in Counting Mode
Almost a week after the elections, California has found itself at the center of national attention as it continues to count millions of yet unprocessed votes. The nation is holding its breath, waiting to see who will lead the next U.S. House of Representatives.
Deliberate Delays & The Virtue of Patience
The process is slow, but it is hardly a surprise. With over 22 million registered voters, California’s electoral machine is taking its time to confirm, process, and count the votes. For some, this delay might seem like a thorn in the side, but the California Common Cause’s program manager for voting rights and redistricting, Russia Chavis Cardenas, sees it differently. The slow pace reflects a commitment to making sure every legitimate vote is fairly and accurately counted.
Spotlight on Unprocessed Ballots
According to the latest update by the secretary of state, California has an estimated 5 million ballots still in the queue. The county topping the list with the most uncounted ballots is Los Angeles, staring at a towering backlog of 1 million votes. These pending votes primarily consist of vote-by-mail and same-day votes.
Counting Votes – A Complex Process
The process to count vote-by-mail ballots is not straightforward. Registered voters often retain their mail ballots until election day, turning them in together, which can contribute significantly to tallying delays.
The method of ballot submission further adds to the complexity. A voter can either mail their ballot on or before election day, drop it off in a drop box, or authorize somebody else to hand in their vote. Each submission method requires different verification and processing steps.
Ensuring Voter Inclusion: California vs. Other States
Unlike other states, California has implemented “fail-safe” measures to protect its voters’ rights and ensure minimal disenfranchisement. For instance, it allows ballots to be accepted even seven days after the election, provided they are postmarked on or before election day.
Furthermore, if a vote-by-mail ballot is dropped off in the wrong county’s drop box, election officials will send it to the correct county’s office to be included in the tally.
The Race to Finish the Count
For a state that typically takes 30 days to count its ballots, the increased attention on California may seem unwarranted. However, the suspense around the control of the House of Representatives and the narrow margins have exacerbated the sense of a drawn-out wait.
Undetermined Seats & Changing Leads
Currently, 11 congressional seats in California still hang in the balance. The California Voter Foundation, through its Close County Transparency Project, is tracking the legislative and congressional races and the shifts as more votes get counted.
Slowly but surely, the race is taking shape. Over the course of the last Saturday, two races saw Democratic candidates taking the lead from Republicans in the 27th and 47th Congressional Districts. As the counting continues, Democratic candidates are beginning to pull ahead, while Republican leads are narrowing.
In this game of patience and precision, every counted ballot brings the decisions closer. Yet, with 5 million votes still to be counted, the nation might need to rein in its impatience and wait a while longer for the final tally.