EXPLAINER: Why California has so many votes left to count

California delivered Republicans the seat they wanted Wednesday to take management of the U.S. Home, however simply how a lot of an edge the GOP can have within the chamber stays unsure because the state’s seemingly drawn-out vote rely continues.

After the steadiness of energy in Washington sat in limbo for days, Republican incumbent Mike Garcia’s victory within the twenty seventh Congressional District lastly received the occasion its 218th seat. Six of the eight different races The Related Press has but to name are in California, although one is between two Democrats

In a few of these races, ballots are coming in at a trickle.

Placer County in California’s third Congressional District, for instance, studies that it has greater than 105,000 excellent ballots. The county added simply 490 votes to its totals within the district Tuesday, and it does not anticipate to report outcomes once more till Friday.

California’s prolonged rely could also be irritating to candidates and anxious voters in search of certainty on who will management the Home. However election officers say the method is designed to make it as simple as potential for individuals to vote and guarantee each poll is precisely counted.

“We’ve an enormous inhabitants of registered voters and California stresses enfranchisement, so now we have a course of that by legislation ensures each voting rights and the integrity of elections,” Secretary of State Shirley Weber mentioned in a press release this week. “I’d name on all everybody to be affected person.”

How do Californians vote?

California has 21 million registered voters, greater than some other state, and one of many nation’s most expansive vote-by-mail insurance policies.

As of Wednesday afternoon, greater than 8.5 million ballots had been processed in California — greater than have been counted in both Texas or Florida, the nation’s second- and third-most populous states.

Weber’s workplace estimates that about 2.3 million stay to be tallied, most of them mail-in ballots.

Individuals who voted by mail had a selection of sending their ballots again or dropping them off at a vote heart. Ballots postmarked by Election Day are counted so long as they arrive at county election places of work inside seven days.

In Texas, by comparability, mail ballots have to be postmarked by Election Day and obtained by election officers by the next day.

What is the counting course of?

Processing mail ballots is much more sophisticated than merely feeding them via a counting machine. The tallying itself is usually quick — it’s the work that should occur forward of time that takes some time, mentioned Donna Johnston, the previous president of the California Affiliation of Clerks and Elections Officers.

The signature on every poll have to be matched with what’s on file for the voter, a course of that may be carried out manually or by machine. Folks whose signatures do not match have an opportunity to show it’s their poll, a course of referred to as “curing” that takes further time.

Ballots additionally must be taken out of their envelopes earlier than they are often tallied.

Many California counties do not replace their vote counts each day. Johnston mentioned that is as a result of election employees in some locations will spend a complete day on verifying signatures on an enormous batch of ballots, the next day on extracting them from the envelopes and the one after that on the precise rely.

Counties have 30 days to complete.

“On the finish of the day, we all know that each poll that may be counted is counted and the method is correct,” Johnston mentioned.

May it go any sooner?

More cash and higher tools might doubtlessly pace issues up. However that would not change the deadlines that elections places of work have to finish their work.

Many counties rent momentary employees to assist, and a few need to hire out warehouses or massive workplace areas to deal with the massive variety of ballots, Johnston mentioned.

Voters might additionally assist the method transfer sooner — mail ballots could be counted beginning 29 days earlier than Election Day, however many individuals wait till the final minute to show theirs in.

Kim Alexander of the California Voter Basis, a nonprofit that advocates for equal entry to voting and extra funding for elections, mentioned the state might do extra outreach to individuals about getting their ballots in sooner, and offering extra early in-person voting alternatives might additionally assist.

California’s massive variety of voters and congressional districts, plus all the choices for casting ballots, can result in extra ready than in different states, Alexander mentioned.

“It’s a trade-off,” she mentioned. “I believe individuals have realized to be affected person and that that is one thing we’re studying to dwell with. However I do assume that we’re additionally going to maintain in search of methods to enhance the method.”