Ballots Keep Coming — California Melts Down

Two days after California’s June 2 primary polls closed, mail-in ballots were still flooding in — and Democrat Xavier Becerra was advancing toward a November showdown, raising fresh questions about the state’s election counting process.

Story Snapshot

Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Xavier Becerra held the top two spots in California’s governor primary, but the race remained too close to call days after Election Day.
With only 56% of votes counted on election night, Hilton led at 28% and Becerra trailed at 26%, leaving the final outcome dependent on millions of outstanding mail-in ballots.
Decision Desk HQ projected Becerra as one of two advancing candidates before vote counting was complete, sparking immediate outrage among conservatives online.
California law permits mail-in ballots to be counted days after Election Day, a practice critics argue creates extended uncertainty and undermines public confidence in election results.

A Race Too Close to Call — Days After Voting Ended

California’s June 2 primary for governor produced no clear winner on election night, with counting dragging on well past Election Day. Republican Steve Hilton entered election night with momentum, holding a lead of roughly 28% while former Biden administration Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra trailed at approximately 26%. With nearly half the votes still uncounted, news organizations declined to call the race, leaving Californians — and the rest of the country — waiting for a final answer.

Under California’s top-two primary system, only the two candidates with the most votes advance to the general election regardless of party. That structure means a candidate can finish second and still move on to November — which is exactly the scenario playing out with Becerra clinging to second place as ballots trickled in. CalMatters confirmed that both Hilton and Becerra held the top two positions needed to progress, but noted the Associated Press had not called the race.

Mail Ballots Flood In — And Conservative Frustration Mounts

California law allows mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted for days afterward, a policy that has become a flashpoint for conservatives who argue it stretches election uncertainty far beyond what voters should accept. The prolonged count fueled immediate backlash on social media, with critics questioning the transparency and integrity of the process. One widely shared post declared a “red flag in California,” pointing out that ballots were still being counted days after polls closed under state law.

Decision Desk HQ projected Becerra as one of two advancing candidates at 8:58 PM on election night — before counting was anywhere near complete. That early call drew sharp criticism from conservative commentators who viewed it as premature at best and irresponsible at worst. With Hilton leading by more than 60,000 votes at one point, according to vote tallies circulating online, the projection struck many as a troubling echo of past election-night media calls that later proved contentious.

Becerra’s Record Adds Fuel to the Fire

For conservatives, the prospect of Xavier Becerra reaching the November ballot carries its own sting beyond the counting controversy. As President Biden’s Health and Human Services Secretary, Becerra was a vocal advocate for sweeping federal health mandates, aggressive vaccine policies, and expanded government control over healthcare decisions. His tenure became a symbol of the overreaching federal bureaucracy that many Americans spent years pushing back against during the Biden years.

Decision Desk HQ projects Xavier Becerra as one of two winners in the CA Governor Top-Two Primary#DecisionMade: 8:58 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/i18hyVVAbr

— Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ) June 5, 2026

Becerra’s advancement — even as a projected second-place finisher in a still-uncertified race — means California voters could face a November choice between a conservative reformer in Hilton and a figure closely tied to the Biden administration’s most divisive policies. For a state already struggling with sky-high costs of living, rampant homelessness, and a struggling business climate, the stakes of the governor’s race could not be higher. Whether the final certified vote count confirms Becerra’s advancement or reshuffles the standings, the drawn-out counting process has already left a mark on public confidence in California’s elections.