Key facts
- Vandalism and burned ballots were reported in a Los Angeles vote drop box before election day.
- Federal prosecutors and the FBI are investigating alleged election fraud in California.
- A voter found an unlocked and unsecured ballot booth in the Bay Area.
- California primary election results are expected to take days or weeks to be released.
- Votes arriving up to a week after election day are considered valid if postmarked by election day.
- Mayor Karen Bass is projected to advance to a runoff in the Los Angeles mayoral primary.
- The race for California governor is too close to call.
- Former President Donald Trump claimed 'cheating' in the California vote without proof.
- Multiple election fraud investigations are confirmed by a federal prosecutor in California.
- Rep. Jimmy Gomez will head to a runoff after admitting to infidelity.
California's primary election is facing considerable delays in releasing results, with officials indicating that a full accounting for key races, including the governor's contest and the Los Angeles mayoral election, may take days or even weeks. This extended timeline is largely due to the state's reliance on mail-in voting, which allows ballots postmarked by election day to be counted for up to a week afterward, coupled with a cure period for signature discrepancies and a high volume of provisional ballots. Election law experts point to these factors, alongside mass mail voting, as the primary drivers of the slow count.
Adding to the electoral concerns, incidents of vandalism and burned ballots have been reported in Los Angeles, specifically in a downtown drop box, just before election day. These events have prompted federal prosecutors in Los Angeles, in conjunction with the FBI, to initiate investigations into alleged election fraud. A federal attorney was observed at a ballot processing facility, underscoring the heightened scrutiny on the state's electoral process. Former President Donald Trump has publicly claimed 'cheating' in the California vote without providing evidence, assertions that election experts and Democratic leaders have largely dismissed as unfounded.
In the closely watched Los Angeles mayoral primary, incumbent Mayor Karen Bass is projected by CBS News to advance to a runoff election. However, the race for governor remains too close to call, with Steve Hilton and Xavier Becerra leading the field, and Democratic voters strategically casting ballots to ensure party representation in the general election. The primary also serves as a test for newly redrawn congressional lines that could influence the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives. Other races include the contest for L.A. City Council District 11, where incumbent Park and challenger Malik are vying for a seat, and the runoff for Representative Jimmy Gomez after he admitted to infidelity.
The integrity of the voting system has been further questioned by a voter who discovered an unlocked and unsecured ballot booth in the Bay Area on the eve of the election. This incident, alongside the reports of vandalism, has fueled broader concerns about the security of California's voting infrastructure. The state's election official, earning over $150,000 annually, is also facing scrutiny and claims to be the target of a rival's campaign, with state and federal laws in place to penalize election tampering.