California’s post‑Election Day ballot policy leaves voters and officials scrambling. After the June 10 primary, 40 % of ballots remained unreported, dropping to 15 % a week later. The delay erodes confidence and keeps several races undecided. The editorial board calls the sluggish count a governance failure that demands immediate reform.

Since 2015, California permits mail‑in ballots to arrive seven days post‑Election Day if postmarked on time, a shift from the prior strict deadline. The state also tightens signature verification, claiming accuracy gains. Yet other large states—Texas, Florida, Michigan—complete counts within hours, showing California’s new rules add no benefit but inflate uncertainty.

Governance critics argue the delay fuels misinformation, a claim echoed by Governor Newsom, who warned that longer counts spread mis‑and disinformation. The editorial board urges Congress to legislate a national Election Day deadline for ballot arrival and to allow early counting once ballots arrive. Such standards would align the state with global democracies that finish counts swiftly.

California’s lagging count also hurts the state’s image and the electoral system’s credibility. If Congress fails to act, voters may grow more skeptical, and political polarization could deepen. A federal mandate would signal that efficient, transparent voting is a priority, countering Republican proposals that prioritize restrictive identification measures over accessible ballots.