California Extends Mail-In, Provisional Ballot Count Through July 3; Trump Requests Federal Probe

California county election officials began counting mail-in and provisional ballots after the June 3 gubernatorial and Los Angeles mayoral primaries under rules that allow ballots postmarked by Election Day and received within seven days to be tallied.

The process can extend up to 30 days, with final certified results required by July 3, 2026. President Trump posted on social media late Wednesday night that Democrats were attempting to "steal" the contests and accused the party of delaying the tally.

U.S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles to examine the handling of mail-in ballots and the pace of the count. S. Attorney's Office in Los Angeles has not issued a public statement on the matter.

California Democratic Party Chairperson Rusty Hicks said the president's statements were "baseless" and that the state would complete a fair and accurate count. Hicks added on June 4, 2026, "Everyone knows California will complete a fair and accurate count. " A spokesperson for Gov.

Secretary of State Shirley Weber said on Tuesday that initial results would give a good picture of most contests on election night, but final results would take weeks, which is normal for the state. The president has previously supported mail-in voting for illness, disability, military service, or travel while opposing universal mail voting on fraud concerns.

An analysis from the Brookings Institution in November 2025 found instances of voter fraud in mail ballots to be rare.