California election results still undecided as Los Angeles begins counting ballots

California’s primary election results remain undecided for several closely-watched races Wednesday, including the gubernatorial race and the Los Angeles mayoral race.

As of Thursday morning, Republican Steve Hilton is leading the gubernatorial race with roughly 28% of the vote. Behind him are the two top Democratic candidates, former Biden official Xavier Becerra at 25% and billionaire Tom Steyer at 20%.

Los Angeles also remains too close to call, though incumbent Mayor Karen Bass has secured her spot in the November election. Her upstart opponent, Spencer Pratt, was holding in second place early Wednesday morning, but more of the vote remains to be counted.

Under California law, only the two top-performing candidates in state primaries can proceed to the general election in November, regardless of political party.

HILTON, BECERRA, IN THE LEAD WITH VOTES STILL BEING COUNTED IN BATTLE FOR CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR

Pratt had received 30% of the vote as of Wednesday morning, with left-wing candidate Nithya Raman trailing him at 22%.

“This idea that I don’t represent Democrats and Republicans and independents — anyone that’s just a Los Angeles citizen that wants basic quality of life — I’ll be able to show that in five months,” Pratt said Wednesday night.

“I’m an Angeleno who said, ‘Enough is enough,’ and I had to step up,” he said. “I’m going to show everybody that I’m their mayor.”

RNC RAILS AGAINST CALIFORNIA’S LATE MAIL-IN BALLOT COUNTING AMID NATIONAL LITIGATION: ‘IT IS ABSURD’

California has faced routine criticism for its sluggish election system, with key races remaining undecided for days after the June 2 elections.

“The fact that California elections often can’t be resolved for weeks is kind of insane and not common in other electoral systems around the world,” Nate Silver, a top political data analyst, wrote on X on Tuesday afternoon. “Like honestly ‘it’s going to take us several weeks to tell you who won the election’ is failed state s— and should be much more stigmatized. The fact that it’s tolerated is bad too a textbook example of learned helplessness.”

Lengthy vote counts in California are a product of the state’s reliance on mail voting and its thorough review process. Under California law, every registered voter receives a mail-in ballot and votes that arrive at election offices up to a week after election day are considered valid so long as they were postmarked by election day.

In tight primaries where a handful of votes decide outcomes, this process can cause voters to go weeks without knowing who will advance to the general election.

“Every other state manages to count its votes in a somewhat timely manner,” Rep. Kevin Kiley, an independent who caucuses with the GOP, wrote on X. “California’s inability to competently handle the basic administration of democracy is embarrassing. It’s also indicative of why our state has so many other problems.”