California Rejects 148,000 Mail Ballots In June Primary, Mostly For Lateness
California election officials rejected 148,241 mail ballots in the June 2026 primary, a 1.7% rejection rate that has prompted concern about mail delays and postmarks.[1]
State records show 93,479 of those ballots were rejected for arriving late, far more than about 70,000 in 2022 and 76,000 in 2024.[1] California law lets mail ballots arrive up to seven days after Election Day if they are postmarked by Election Day.[1] But many rejected ballots bore postmarks dated after Election Day, and a USPS practice of stamping when mail reaches a processing center may be shifting apparent postmark dates.[1]
In January 2026, mostly Democratic U.S. senators warned the Postal Service that mail-processing changes could affect ballot postmarks.[1] Wisconsin election officials have also reported hundreds of ballots arriving late this year, a development that regulators and election observers say underscores nationwide concerns about postal timing.[1]
The statewide rejection total rose from 108,982 in 2024 to 148,241 this June, a jump officials say merits review of ballot handling and postal timing.[1]
Show source details & analysis (1 source)
📌 Key Facts
- In the June 2026 California primary, 148,241 mail ballots were rejected, a 1.7% rejection rate, up from 108,982 in 2024.
- State data show 93,479 ballots in June 2026 were rejected for lateness, compared with about 70,000 in 2022 and 76,000 in 2024.
- California allows mail ballots to arrive up to seven days after Election Day if postmarked by Election Day, but experts say many rejected ballots had postmarks dated too late.
- Updated USPS policy says postmarks may reflect when mail reaches a processing center rather than the day it is first received, raising concerns about election-year delays.
- In January 2026, mostly Democratic U.S. senators wrote to USPS warning that mail-processing changes could affect ballot postmarks; Wisconsin officials have also reported hundreds of ballots arriving late this year.
📰 Source Timeline (1)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time