California's June primary election witnessed a significant increase in mail ballot rejections, raising concerns about voting processes and postal service impacts.
Washington DC, United States Jul 24, 2026 ALN: Nearly 150,000 California voters had their mail-in ballots rejected for the state’s June primary, a spike from recent elections even as the state attempts to make voting easier with the goal of boosting participation and counting every ballot. The significant increase in ballot rejections has raised concerns among election officials and voting advocates, prompting discussions about the effectiveness of current voting procedures and the impact of recent changes in postal service operations.
California has become notorious for its ponderously slow vote counts that can drag on for weeks and sometimes longer, largely the result of multiple changes over the years that were intended to increase turnout but have done little to achieve that. Among the changes: Every voter receives a mail-in ballot that can arrive at an election office seven days late and still be counted, provided the envelope is postmarked by Election Day. This policy was designed to accommodate voters who may face difficulties in mailing their ballots on time, yet the current situation suggests that this flexibility may not be sufficient to address the issues at hand.
Despite the generous week-long window, the primary driver of the higher rejection numbers is late-arriving ballots, according to data compiled by the secretary of state’s office. Voting experts suspect the main problem is postmarks on ballots that came after Election Day, making them ineligible to be counted. The culprit could be U.S. Postal Service changes that might affect the timing of when postmarks are applied. These changes have raised questions about the reliability of mail services, especially during critical election periods.
According to state data, 148,241 mail ballots were rejected in the June election, representing a rate of 1.73% of all mail ballots. In raw numbers, this is an increase from the 2024 primary, when 108,982 mail ballots were rejected, translating to a 1.56% rate. In 2022, 105,818 mail ballots were voided during the primary, with a similar rejection rate to that of 2024. The trend indicates a troubling escalation in the number of ballots that are not being counted, raising alarms about potential disenfranchisement of voters.
Lateness accounted for 93,479 rejected ballots in June, by far the largest category for disqualifying a ballot. This figure marks an increase from about 70,000 in the 2022 primary and about 76,000 in the 2024 primary, although turnout in those elections was smaller compared to last June. The rise in late ballot rejections has prompted experts to examine the underlying causes, including the possibility of a late surge in ballot submissions as voters waited until the final days to make a decision in a wide-open and chaotic race for governor.
Kim Alexander, president of the nonpartisan California Voter Foundation, expressed concern over the jump in rejected ballots due to lateness, which she attributed primarily to being postmarked too late to count, rather than arriving too late. This distinction is crucial as it highlights potential systemic issues within the mail-in voting process that could be addressed through policy changes or improved voter education.
Rejection rates have fluctuated over time, but the growing number of ballots set aside for lateness compared to recent elections raises significant questions about the reasons behind this trend. Mindy Romero, director of the Center for Inclusive Democracy, a nonpartisan research group, emphasized the need for further investigation into the factors contributing to these high rejection rates. Understanding the dynamics at play is essential for improving the electoral process and ensuring that all eligible voters can participate fully.
In January, a group of mostly Democratic U.S. senators sent a letter to the U.S. Postal Service, alarmed that mail-processing changes might affect postmark dates for mail-in ballots during an election year that will determine control of Congress. The updated agency policy states that postmarks might not indicate the first day the Postal Service received the mail but rather the day it was handled in one of its processing centers. This change is particularly concerning as it could lead to delays in the processing of ballots, further complicating the voting experience for many citizens.
These processing centers are increasingly likely to be situated further away from certain communities due to recent consolidations within the Postal Service, which could exacerbate delays in postmarking and, consequently, in ballot counting. On Thursday, two Wisconsin Democrats, U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Gov. Tony Evers, called on the Postal Service to address delays that caused hundreds of ballots to arrive after Election Day in their state in April. This situation underscores a broader concern about the reliability of mail services during critical voting periods.
Earlier this year, California election officials urged voters to send their mail ballots early, warning that Postal Service changes could lead to slower mail service. This proactive approach aims to mitigate the impact of potential delays on ballot counting but also highlights the challenges voters face in navigating the complexities of mail-in voting.
In California, the highest mail ballot rejection rate in June — 3.52% — was recorded in Tulare County, located in the agriculture-heavy Central Valley. This was followed by Alpine County, south of Lake Tahoe, and Merced County, also in the Central Valley, which both had a rejection rate of 3.36%. These statistics reveal significant regional disparities in ballot rejection rates, prompting questions about the accessibility of voting resources in different areas of the state.
Nearly 44,000 ballots were set aside because the voter’s signature didn’t match the one on record with county officials. Additionally, over 8,300 ballots were rejected due to the absence of a signature on the returned ballot envelope. These issues point to the importance of voter education regarding signature matching and the necessity of ensuring that voters understand the requirements for successful ballot submission. In 743 cases, the voter had already cast a ballot, rendering the mail ballot void. Other reasons for rejection included missing ballots from the return envelope or multiple ballots being sent back in a single envelope.
The data did not break down the uncounted ballots by party registration, leaving open questions about the political implications of these rejections. Such information could be pivotal in understanding whether certain demographic groups are disproportionately affected by the mail-in voting process.
In contrast to California, states like Florida and Texas quickly wrap up vote counting, while California is often viewed as a national laggard. This discrepancy has sparked criticism from various political figures, including former President Donald Trump, who seized on California’s reputation as the slowest in vote counting to renew his long-standing criticism of the state’s elections. Following the June primary, Trump’s Department of Justice launched an investigation into Los Angeles County’s elections, further amplifying concerns about the integrity and efficiency of California’s electoral processes.
Despite the challenges, there is no indication of any widespread problems with mail voting, which has gained in popularity among Democrats and Republicans alike. A report by the Brookings Institution published in 2025 found that the number of cases of mail voting fraud was minuscule — about four cases per 10 million mail ballots. This statistic underscores the relative safety and security of mail-in voting, even as procedural issues continue to affect voter participation and ballot counting.
As California moves forward, addressing the issues surrounding mail ballot rejections will be critical for ensuring that all voters can exercise their rights and have their voices heard. Ongoing discussions about election reform, postal service reliability, and voter education will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of voting in the state. Ensuring that every vote counts will be essential for maintaining public trust in the electoral process and fostering a more engaged electorate.
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