California Democrats Urge 11th-Hour Voting to Block 2-Republican Runoff in 61-Candidate Governor Primary
Updated
Updated · CalMatters · May 12
California Democrats Urge 11th-Hour Voting to Block 2-Republican Runoff in 61-Candidate Governor Primary
3 articles · Updated · CalMatters · May 12
Some California Democrats are telling voters to hold ballots until just before Election Day, then back whichever Democrat appears strongest to avoid a November runoff between Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco.
The tactic reflects anxiety over volatile polling in a crowded 61-candidate primary, where Xavier Becerra has risen after Eric Swalwell’s collapse but no Democrat has fully locked down a top-two spot.
Election officials and Democratic leaders oppose the push because late-arriving mail ballots are the hardest to process, worsening California’s already slow count through the "pig in the python" Election Day backlog.
Attorney General Rob Bonta called social posts urging late voting potentially misinformation or even unlawful, while Secretary of State Shirley Weber said her office would examine them.
The episode underscores how California’s top-two system, low expected turnout and uncertain polling are driving strategic voting behavior even as experts doubt it can be organized at scale.
Is waiting to vote a savvy tactic in a crowded primary, or does it risk your ballot being rejected?
When a voting strategy goes viral, does it empower voters or risk the very system it aims to influence?