California Can Have Both Easy Voting and Quicker Election Results

Experts say the state can preserve its friendly voting system while speeding up ballot tabulation.

Mar. 22, 2026 at 12:58pm

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California, which mails a ballot to every eligible voter, ranks near the top of states in the ease of its elections. However, the prolonged tally of ballots has led to unfounded claims of election fraud. Kim Alexander of the California Voter Foundation believes it's possible to preserve the state's friendly voting system while speeding up the tabulation of ballots through measures like increased funding, voter education, and better management of the voter database.

Why it matters

The lag time between election day and the final results has led to wild, unfounded claims of election fraud, diminishing faith in California's elections and democracy. Speeding up the ballot tabulation process could help restore voter confidence.

The details

California has a large number of voters, with over 16 million residents voting in the last presidential election. Voting by mail has become more popular, and it takes longer to count those ballots as many don't arrive until after election day. The state also has safeguards in place to prevent fraud and ensure an accurate count, such as checking signatures and preventing double voting.

  • California held its last presidential election in November 2024.

The players

Kim Alexander

Head of the nonpartisan California Voter Foundation, who has spent more than three decades working to make the state's elections more efficient, more transparent and more accountable.

Gavin Newsom

The Governor of California, who recently rose to defend the state's 'safe and secure elections' against attacks from former President Trump.

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What they’re saying

“We need to stop explaining why it's taking so long and start figuring out how to [produce election results] in a more satisfying way. There are a lot of things that we could do better and do differently. It just takes some creative thinking and some will.”

— Kim Alexander, Head of the California Voter Foundation

“The longer it takes to count ballots, the more voter confidence erodes.”

— Kim Alexander, Head of the California Voter Foundation

What’s next

Governor Newsom could take steps to speed up the delivery of California's election results, which could help burnish his credentials for a potential 2028 presidential run.

The takeaway

California can preserve its friendly voting system while also speeding up the ballot tabulation process through measures like increased funding, voter education, and better management of the voter database, which could help restore voter confidence in the state's elections.