{"id":188,"date":"2026-05-07T10:59:10","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T10:59:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sandiegorelocationnews.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/07\/newsom-calls-on-election-officials-to-count-votes-faster-we-are-being-tested-2\/"},"modified":"2026-05-07T10:59:10","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T10:59:10","slug":"newsom-calls-on-election-officials-to-count-votes-faster-we-are-being-tested-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sandiegorelocationnews.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/07\/newsom-calls-on-election-officials-to-count-votes-faster-we-are-being-tested-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Newsom calls on election officials to count votes faster. \u2018We are being tested\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Gov. Gavin Newsom wants California elections officials to count ballots faster to head off any voter-related misinformation as the June 2 primary approaches.<\/p>\n

Read more Two debates this week could reshape California\u2019s governor race<\/a><\/p>\n

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\u201cOver the past decade, administering elections has grown more and more difficult and is reaching a breaking points,\u201d Newsom wrote Monday in a letter addressed to all 58 counties\u2019 Registrars of Voters.<\/p>\n

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He listed threats of violence against clerks and cries of voter fraud as examples.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIn the face of these challenges, we must continue building confidence in our elections and ensure that not only every vote is counted, but that every vote is trusted,\u201d Newsom said in the letter. \u201cWe must acknowledge that the longer the voting count takes, the more mis- and disinformation spread. That means we must do all that we can to tabulate votes quickly and accurately. Time is of the essence in preventing election lies from taking hold.\u201d<\/p>\n

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California is one of the slowest states to tally ballots, meaning the outcome of its electoral races \u2014 including those that dictate the balance of power in Congress \u2014 is often unknown for days or even weeks after Election Day.<\/p>\n

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Election offices across the state began issuing mail-in ballots on Monday to voters ahead of next month\u2019s primary election.<\/p>\n

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In his letter, Newsom recommended election clerks take advantage of three recent laws passed last year to speed up ballot counting by halving the time allowed for counting them, lengthening the time ballots can be counted before Election Day and more regularly informing voters on ballot count updates.<\/p>\n

Read more As California\u2019s spending grows, so has the state\u2019s workforce and salary costs<\/a><\/p>\n

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\u201cIt is critical that we take full advantage of these tools to accurately count every lawfully cast ballot as quickly as possible to mitigate what are likely to be unprecedented and misleading attempts to undermine faith in the integrity of our election,\u201d the governor wrote.<\/p>\n

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Both Democrats and Republicans have criticized the state\u2019s glacial vote-tallying pace and said it allows election deniers to sow distrust in the democratic process, while Secretary of State Shirley Weber has defended her office as prioritizing accuracy over speed.<\/p>\n

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