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Forget election night answers: Results may take far longer in many close races

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Forget election night. Election season has been upon us for weeks, and it won’t be over anytime soon.

California’s prodigious adoption of vote-by-mail balloting has done more than fundamentally alter how we engage in the democratic process. The shift has also necessitated a cultural reconfiguration about election night results, and recast the timeline for learning outcomes in many races.

Why It Takes Longer for California to Count Ballots

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By Tuesday night in California, the ballots will be cast, but the results for many races may remain uncertain for days, even weeks.

It is a familiar waiting game that is unique to the state, tending to prompt public scrutiny and debate when major races or hot-button issues are at stake.

But the delay is largely connected to the fact that most of the state’s 22 million registered voters cast mail ballots — and to an extensive review process that requires more than placing a ballot through a machine.

Here's when and how California midterm election results will roll in

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Once the final ballots are mailed-in, placed in a drop box or cast in-person for California’s March 5 primary election, the attention will turn to the results.

But how quickly will those be made public? And will they tell us the outcome of the races right away?

Election officials and experts say the results will arrive in three separate waves on election night, with the first being released shortly after the polls close at 8 p.m. on March 5.

Last-minute tips for California voters

Hi Folks,

Tomorrow is "Super Tuesday" when more than a dozen states, including California, will hold Primary elections. A few million Californians have already voted, and a few million more will turn in ballots tomorrow or opt to vote in person at a polling place or vote center.

Here are some quick last-minute tips and pieces of information to help you with this election.

Why California election workers are returning after COVID and conspiracy theories

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Between COVID-19 and election fraud conspiracy theories since 2020, it has been a tumultuous time for California’s election workers. 

The state lost 15% of its election officials between the November 2020 election and July 2021, according to the California Voter Foundation, which documented incidents of threats, harassment and stress. While not all left due to safety concerns, more than half of California counties have a new registrar of voters since 2020, compared to 17% turnover between 2016 and 2020.

Here's why California voters are being asked to vote twice in race for US Senate Josh Haskell Image

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When you go to vote in the California primary, you may be surprised to see that in the race for U.S. Senate, you're asked to vote twice!

Plus, there are more names in the contest for the six-year Senate term, which starts in January 2025 than for the special election, which will last roughly a month once the November results are certified in early December. The point of the special election is to fill out the remainder of late California Senator Diane Feinstein's seat.

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