Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis took aim at California’s election system, criticizing the state’s prolonged vote-counting process as officials continued tallying ballots in the closely watched Los Angeles mayoral primary several days after voting concluded.

Posting on X, DeSantis contrasted California’s pace with that of Florida, where election results are typically reported within hours.

“Florida processes more than 10 million votes in a matter of hours. California takes days, or sometimes even weeks, to count the votes,” DeSantis wrote on X.

“It’s pathetic, and it’s corrosive to our civic culture.”

His comments came as Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass maintained a narrow lead in the city’s nonpartisan mayoral contest. However, she had not yet secured the majority needed to avoid a runoff election later this year.

The race for the second runoff position also remained unresolved. Republican candidate Spencer Pratt and City Council member Nithya Raman were still battling for a spot in the next round as election officials continued processing outstanding ballots.

California’s extended counting period is largely the result of state election laws that allow mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted if they arrive within seven days. In addition, official results are not finalized until the completion of the canvassing process.

The slow pace has once again become a point of contention for Republicans, who argue that lengthy delays in reporting results can weaken public trust in elections, particularly when major races remain undecided long after polling places have closed.

{Matzav.com}