Elections officials across California are working to count almost 90,000 ballots and resolve issues with nearly 100,000 others by Dec. 3, the deadline for counties to report results of the presidential election to Secretary of State Shirley Weber’s office.
Delays with California’s vote counting process are attributed to a reliance on mail-in ballots, which take longer to verify than in-person votes, according to elections officials. Every registered California voter received a ballot that could be returned by mail, at official drop boxes, or at polling places.
Officials verify mail-in ballots returned by voters by comparing signatures on ballots with those on voter registration files.
When voters fail to sign ballots or discrepancies are observed, registrars attempt to contact voters by mail, email, and phone, to resolve the issue and “cure” the votes.
“All of this takes staff time and lengthens final certification,” Jesse Salinas, Yolo County assessor, clerk-recorder, and registrar of voters, said in a Nov. 22 statement.
Vote canvassing procedures are time-consuming but are meant to ensure all votes are accurately counted, according to multiple county registrars.
“The elections office is committed to getting our final certified results completed accurately and as soon as possible, while ensuring all legal requirements are met and that the integrity and transparency of the election process is successfully achieved in every election,” Salinas said.
One county that has nearly completed its task said officials are working hard to finalize the process.
“Unless we have all of our mismatched signatures or no signatures cured, we cannot certify our election,” Katrina Bartolomie, Mendocino County registrar, told The Epoch Times. “We are in full election mode.”
The county has processed and cured all but 99 ballots out of nearly 40,000 cast, as of Nov. 29.
All state-wide results are due to the secretary of state by Dec. 6, and Weber will officially certify the results a week later.
With the certification date looming, candidates in some races are separated by margins of fewer than 1,000 votes.
Incumbent Rep. John Duarte (R-Calif.) trails Democratic challenger Adam Gray by about 190 votes, with the lead flipping back and forth since Election Day.
Volunteers for both parties are working to help elections officials resolve issues with ballot signatures to buoy their respective candidate’s chances.
Christine Pelosi, daughter of Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), is leading a volunteer operation for Democrats to contact impacted voters in the Golden State’s agricultural 13th House District.
She told supporters she is focused on the tightest House race in the country.
“I’m off to the Central Valley to cure ballots in California 13,” Pelosi said in a video attached to her post.
Volunteers were earlier assisting in the state’s 45th House District, where Democrat Derek Tran overcame Rep. Michelle Steel (R-Calif.) when votes tallied later in the canvass period leaned in his direction.
Republicans are also contributing to seeing votes cured.
“We have not taken our foot off the gas in our effort to protect the vote and ensure every legal vote is counted,” Jessica Millan Patterson, California GOP chairwoman, said in a video posted to social media on Nov. 22.
Thousands of volunteers and attorneys are working in contested districts to help cure ballots and communicate with voters whose ballots are in question, she said.
“We know that these cures can make the difference between winning and losing,” Patterson said.
