Newsom Defends Extremely Slow Vote Counting In California

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is defending the state’s painfully slow ballot-counting process after Tuesday’s primary elections, even as critics argue the delays are damaging public confidence and raising serious questions about the state’s election system.

Newsom’s office posted an “explainer” video featuring CNN correspondent Elex Michaelson, who argued that California’s drawn-out count is not an accident but a feature of state law.

According to Michaelson, California leaders, including Newsom, designed the system to make it easier for voters to submit “last-minute ballots” by mail rather than prioritizing faster results on Election Night.

The video appeared to take aim at Republican-led states such as Florida and Texas, led by Govs. Ron DeSantis and Greg Abbott, where election results are often reported far more quickly.

Michaelson said those leaders are “focused more on counting ballots quickly” than on giving voters “more time to decide” who they want to support at the last minute.

Newsom amplified the video on X and attempted to frame criticism of California’s election count as misinformation.

“There is a lot of misinformation floating around about California’s election — including from the President. This explainer is worth a watch. And yes, for the record: we wish the votes were counted faster, too,” Newsom wrote.

But Newsom did not outline any serious plan to speed up the process, despite the fact that Democrats control the governor’s office and hold a supermajority in the state Assembly.

That omission only fueled more criticism from conservatives and frustrated voters who argue that California Democrats have built an election system that invites suspicion by allowing ballots to continue being processed long after Election Day.

For many Americans, the issue is straightforward: a state as large and technologically advanced as California should not need days or weeks to provide clear election results.

“Americans should expect, at a minimum, to have elections that are free and fair, and results that are delivered promptly. But California is taking its laid-back reputation too far, failing to deliver its election results in a timely manner and creating the perception that they are neither free nor fair,” Jarrett Stepman wrote Thursday for The Daily Signal.

“Slothful election results have plagued California for years since it made wholesale changes to its election system in 2016. It has mass mail-in ballots that can be counted post-election and allows for an extremely slow pace of counting,” he continued.

“Proponents of the system say this makes their elections more ‘secure’ and accessible,” Stepman added.

Stepman argued that while California may have made voting highly accessible, claims that the system is secure are much harder to accept when the count drags on and major races remain unresolved.

The most closely watched example is the Los Angeles mayoral contest.

As of now, the November runoff appears to be shaping up between incumbent Democrat Karen Bass and Republican challenger Spencer Pratt, while left-wing candidate Nithya Raman remains in third place. If that result holds, Raman would be eliminated from the general election.

Raman appeared emotional on election night and seemed convinced her campaign had fallen short.

But since Election Day, new batches of mail-in ballots have continued to come in, with Raman gaining ground. Prediction markets have also reportedly swung strongly in her favor, adding to the speculation and skepticism surrounding the delayed count.

“Why would it be a surprise that many are calling foul?” Stepman asked, noting that it has been “days” since the primary election and only Raman is surging.

“Election prediction markets should be taken with a grain of salt, but the fact that we are so far from election day and we are still so far from resolution is, frankly, shameful,” said Stepman.

The controversy highlights a deeper national fight over election administration.

Democrats argue that California’s system gives voters more flexibility and ensures that eligible ballots are counted. Conservatives counter that endless counting windows, mass mail-in ballots, and delayed results erode trust and create opportunities for political suspicion.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized California’s election process, warning that slow counts and late-arriving mail ballots undermine confidence in the results.

Newsom insists the criticism is misinformation. But for voters watching key races remain unsettled days after Election Day, the governor’s explanation may not be enough.

Elections must not only be lawful. They must also be trusted.

And in California, the longer the count drags on, the harder that trust becomes to maintain.