California’s Slow Count Keeps Governor and Los Angeles Runoff Questions Open
Early returns point to likely runoffs, but mailed ballots mean California's political picture may take days to settle.
LOS ANGELES | California's primary election produced early signals but not final answers, as the state's mail-ballot system and top-two primary rules kept several high-profile contests open beyond election night.
ABC7 reported that early results showed Steve Hilton and Xavier Becerra leading in the governor's race, with Tom Steyer in third. The same live coverage noted that California's count can continue for days because ballots postmarked by Election Day may still be received afterward and must be verified before being counted.
In Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Times reported that the Associated Press projected Mayor Karen Bass would advance to the 3 November runoff, while Spencer Pratt and City Councilmember Nithya Raman continued to battle for the second runoff position.
The mayor's race has national attention because it mixes big-city issues with celebrity politics, homelessness, public safety, housing costs and post-disaster leadership after the 2025 Palisades fire. The statewide governor's race is also a test of how California voters respond to a crowded field under a top-two system.
The key caution is that early numbers are not final certification. Late-counted ballots can change margins, especially in California, where mail voting is common and postmarked ballots can arrive after Election Day.
For campaigns, the next phase is legal, logistical and messaging-driven: track the count, avoid premature claims and prepare for a November electorate that may look different from the primary turnout.
Additional Reporting By: ABC7 Los Angeles; Los Angeles Times; CGN News Staff
What this means
Voters should treat early returns as provisional. The practical issue is not whether California is slow; it is whether the process is transparent, verifiable and understood by campaigns and voters.