California's gubernatorial primary remains undecided with potentially weeks of ballot counting ahead, leaving voters and candidates in limbo as officials methodically process thousands of remaining ballots.
Conservative broadcaster Steve Hilton held a narrow lead in early returns, trailed by former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, with billionaire Tom Steyer running third. Under California's top-two primary system, only the two candidates with the most votes advance to November's general election. The precise order could shift dramatically before counting concludes.
State law gives counties until June 15 to finish tabulation, though certain ballots extend beyond that deadline. Mail-in ballots postmarked by election day and received by June 9 remain valid for processing. Election officials expected to release an updated count of remaining unprocessed ballots as the week progressed.
The slow pace reflects the crowded primary field. Many Democratic voters held onto mail-in ballots until election day itself, strategizing over which candidate had the strongest path to a top-two finish. That cautious approach meant election workers faced a massive backlog of late-arriving envelopes.
Trump weighed in immediately with a Wednesday Truth Social endorsement of Hilton. "Congratulations to Steve Hilton on coming in first, last night, in the California Vote for Governor," the former president wrote, predicting the state would see dramatic improvement if voters chose Hilton for the governor's mansion.
Becerra struck an upbeat tone at his election night watch party, positioning himself as an underdog despite his strong position. He noted that former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa had called on him to withdraw from the race. "It is the people, only the people, who get the last word," Becerra told supporters, adding that early indicators suggested he would reach the general election.
Steyer's camp took a measured approach. Campaign manager Heather Hargreaves wrote to supporters acknowledging his trailing position while urging restraint. "There's still a lot that remains to be seen and we're going to give democracy time to work," she said in a Wednesday statement.
The extended count has drawn criticism from some conservative voices, who have promoted unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud tied to mail-in voting. Republicans have long targeted mail-in ballots, which tend to favor Democratic candidates. Trump has pushed a national executive order designed to limit their use.
California Secretary of State Shirley Weber issued a statement emphasizing the state's commitment to ballot security and voter access over speed. "California elections officials prioritize the right to vote and election security over rushing the vote count," she said.
Author James Rodriguez: "The gap between early reporting and final results could reshape California's political landscape, but Trump's premature victory lap won't change the math of a state that counts every vote carefully."
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