Trump cries ‘steal’ over slow California vote count, but anti-fraud system works, say experts

State’s tortoise-like pace is byproduct of system of verifications and opportunities for voters to fix errors

California’s slow vote counting has frustrated political observers eagerly awaiting results, and handed https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/donaldtrump">Donald Trump and others an opportunity to claim “election rigging”.

But experts say the system is working as designed: to protect against fraud and assure every vote is counted.

Within a day of the polls closing in California’s primary election this week, Trump started accusing Democrats of “https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116690027934241490">trying to steal” the elections for the state’s governor and the mayor of Los Angeles.

The justice department https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/05/california-primary-election-races-too-close-to-call">sent a federal prosecutor to observe the ballot-counting process in Los Angeles this week.