California Rejects 148,000 Mail Ballots In June Primary, Mostly For Lateness
California election officials rejected about 148,000 mail ballots from the June primary, with roughly 63% tossed for arriving after the deadline.[1]
State election officials say the wave of late rejections is linked to the U.S. Postal Service consolidating processing into regional centers and ending twice-daily dispatches from local post offices.[2] Officials now suspect some ballots were postmarked at processing centers a day after voters dropped them at local post offices, causing them to be recorded as late.[2] The U.S. Postal Service says postmarks are still generally applied at processing centers and that voters can request a hand-applied postmark; it urges mailing ballots at least one week before a state's receipt deadline.[2]
In January 2026, mostly Democratic senators warned that ending twice-daily dispatches would slow mail and risk delayed ballots.[2] Michigan's secretary of state is advising voters to hand-deliver absentee ballots to clerks' offices or drop boxes rather than rely on mail, and Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab continues to warn that keeping ballots out of federal hands is best.[2] California's 2026-27 state budget includes $10 million for social media and other outreach to discourage last-minute mailing of ballots.[2]
Show source details & analysis (2 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- California’s 148,000 rejected mail ballots from the June 2026 primary — about 63% rejected for lateness — have been linked by officials to USPS decisions to consolidate processing into regional centers and end twice‑daily dispatches (California’s 148,000 rejected mail ballots).
- California officials now suspect some ballots were postmarked at processing centers a day after voters dropped them at local post offices, contributing to lateness rejections (processing centers).
- PBS reports that mostly Democratic senators warned in January 2026 that eliminating twice‑daily dispatches would delay mail, a concern now tied to late ballots (Democratic senators).
- The USPS says postmarks are generally applied at processing centers as before, notes voters can request a hand‑applied postmark at a retail counter, and reiterates guidance that voters should mail ballots at least one week before their state’s receipt deadline (USPS).
- States are responding: Michigan’s secretary of state’s office is advising voters to hand‑deliver absentee ballots to clerks’ offices or drop boxes rather than rely on mail, and Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab continues to warn that keeping ballots out of federal hands is best (Michigan’s secretary of state’s office).
- California’s 2026–27 state budget includes $10 million for social media and other outreach intended to discourage last‑minute mailing of ballots (California’s 2026–27 state budget).
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- PBS links California’s 148,000 June 2026 rejected mail ballots (63% late) and hundreds of late-arriving Wisconsin ballots to USPS decisions to consolidate processing into regional centers and end twice-daily dispatches from local post offices.
- Article reports that mostly Democratic senators warned in January 2026 that eliminating twice-daily dispatches would delay mail, and that California officials now suspect some ballots were postmarked at processing centers a day after being dropped at post offices.
- USPS states postmarks are generally applied at processing centers as before and says voters can request a hand-applied postmark at a retail counter.
- Michigan’s secretary of state’s office is explicitly advising voters, as of late July 2026, to hand-deliver absentee ballots to clerks’ offices or drop boxes rather than rely on mail, and Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab continues to warn that keeping ballots out of federal hands is best.
- California’s 2026–27 state budget includes $10 million for social media and other outreach to discourage last‑minute mailing of ballots.
- USPS reiterates its guidance that voters should mail ballots at least one week before their state’s receipt deadline.