California's election process remains notoriously slow as officials grapple with mail-in ballot verification and processing delays. Governor Gavin Newsom acknowledged the extended counting period increases vulnerability to misinformation, yet his pleas for faster processing haven't yielded results. The state's approach prioritizes accuracy over speed, contrasting sharply with other mail-in voting states that report results much more quickly.

Unlike Colorado, Arizona and Washington, California lacks sufficient personnel, resources and dedicated office space to handle its growing volume of mail-in ballots. Each county determines its own election spending and staffing, creating major disparities in processing times. Some counties have invested in equipment but still require up to a week to process 90% of ballots, while less wealthy counties can take three to four weeks.

The prolonged counting affects key races, including the Los Angeles mayor's contest where candidates remain separated by just 3,000 votes. California's policy allowing ballots postmarked by Election Day to arrive up to seven days later means many votes aren't even received until days after the election, keeping results in limbo longer than in other states.