The primary election for California’s governor is still too close to call as of Wednesday evening. Republican candidate Steve Hilton is currently leading, but Democratic contenders Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer are gaining ground as more mail ballots are counted.

Mail Ballot Counting Delays

California’s lengthy vote-counting process is due to the large volume of mail ballots, some of which arrive after Election Day. These ballots, if postmarked by Election Day and received by June 9, are eligible to be counted. Additionally, provisional ballots cast on Election Day require further verification before being included in the final tally.

Counties across California are reporting results at different intervals, with some like Los Angeles County providing daily updates, while others report less frequently. All counties must finalize their results by July 2.

Democratic Gains Expected

Historically, California elections see a shift towards Democratic candidates as mail ballots are counted. This trend was evident in the 2024 Senate primary, where Democratic candidates increased their vote share from 57.3% to 59.5% as counting progressed. This pattern is expected to continue, with Democratic voters returning their ballots at a slower pace this year, potentially increasing their share of the remaining votes.

The key question is whether this shift will be significant enough to displace Hilton from one of the top two spots in the general election. As more votes are counted, the dynamics of the race could change significantly.

Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.