Speaker Johnson Criticizes California’s Mail-In Ballot Counting Process, Says He Is Not Claiming Election Was Rigged
House Speaker Mike Johnson criticized California's vote-counting process after late mail ballots shifted results in last week's primary. President Trump also called the election rigged.
The HillSpeaker Mike Johnson said the California primary election “stinks to high heaven” during remarks in the Capitol on Monday. He stated that votes are being counted weeks after Election Day and argued that many states finish counting on the same day. Johnson said he was not claiming the election was rigged.
President Trump called the California election “rigged” over the weekend. He later stormed out of an interview with NBC’s Kristen Welker after she asked about the claims. Mail-in ballots counted over the weekend moved the standings in at least one race.
Republican Spencer Pratt dropped to third place, while Democrat Tom Steyer gained on second-place Republican Steve Hilton. California mails ballots to every registered voter and counts those postmarked by Election Day if received up to a week later. Any primary ballots received through June 9 will be counted.
The substantial majority of votes in the state are cast by mail. California places candidates from all parties on a single primary ballot. The top two finishers advance to the general election regardless of party affiliation.
Johnson was asked what evidence supports claims of election fraud and brushed off the question.
