The results of California’s primary elections remain uncertain for several key races, including the gubernatorial and Los Angeles mayoral contests. As of Thursday morning, Republican candidate Steve Hilton leads the gubernatorial race with approximately 28% of the votes. Trailing him are Democrats Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer, with 25% and 20% respectively.
The Los Angeles mayoral race is also still pending results. Current Mayor Karen Bass has secured her position for the November election, while her challenger Spencer Pratt maintains second place as of Wednesday, with votes continuing to be counted. Under California law, only the top two candidates in the primaries proceed to the general election regardless of party affiliation.
“This idea that I don’t represent Democrats and Republicans and independents — anyone that’s just a Los Angeles citizen that wants basic quality of life — I’ll be able to show that in five months,” Pratt stated.
California’s election process has been criticized for its slow pace. Elections often remain unresolved for days post-election. Nate Silver, a prominent political analyst, expressed concern on X about the extensive time taken to conclude election results in California.
“The fact that California elections often can’t be resolved for weeks is not common in other electoral systems globally,” Silver noted.
The lengthy vote counts result from California’s heavy reliance on mail-in voting. Every registered voter receives a mail-in ballot, and votes arriving up to a week after election day are valid if postmarked by election day. In close races, the extended counting period can lead to prolonged uncertainty for candidates and voters.
Representative Kevin Kiley criticized California’s ability to manage elections promptly, highlighting it as a concern reflective of broader state issues.
“California’s inability to competently handle the basic administration of democracy is embarrassing,” Kiley wrote.
The election results continue to evolve as counting progresses, with many awaiting final decisions on who will advance to the general election.