The US Department of Justice has sent a federal prosecutor to observe ballot processing in Los Angeles amid delays in counting votes from California's primary elections. The move comes as President Donald Trump makes unsubstantiated claims that Democrats are 'rigging' the results in the nation's largest blue state.
State officials have rejected the allegations, but the slow count has fuelled misinformation about election integrity. On Friday, the LA County registrar-recorder confirmed that an assistant US attorney arrived to observe ballot processing activities. Bill Essayli, the first assistant US attorney for the central district of California, appointed by Trump, announced that his office and the FBI have 'multiple election fraud investigations under way', citing 'serious structural vulnerabilities' in the state's election systems.
Three days after the polls closed, key races remain too close to call. In the governor's race, former US health secretary Xavier Becerra has advanced to the general election, while British-born commentator Steve Hilton and billionaire Tom Steyer compete for the second spot. The top two candidates, regardless of party, move to the general election.
The Los Angeles mayoral race is also undecided. Mayor Karen Bass has secured a place in the runoff, but her opponent is unclear. With about 65% of votes counted, former reality TV star Spencer Pratt leads progressive councillor Nithya Raman, though the outcome could change. State law requires counties to finish counting by 15 June, but mail-in ballots postmarked by election day and received by 9 June are valid beyond that deadline.
Approximately 3.6 million ballots remain to be processed across California, according to the secretary of state's office. Experts expect many untallied votes to lean Democratic, as Republicans tend to vote early or in person, while more Democrats delayed their votes this year. President Trump has already congratulated Hilton and accused California of cheating, but state officials stress accuracy over speed. Governor Gavin Newsom's office noted that California prioritises accuracy and accessibility, adding that they wish votes were counted faster.
