Overview
- Steve Hilton led initial returns after the June 2 primary, with Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer close behind and no winner yet declared.
- A partial AP snapshot updated June 5 showed Hilton about 27.2 percent, Becerra 26.0 percent and Steyer 20.2 percent while counties continue to add ballots.
- Counties are still processing universal mail ballots, provisional ballots and signature cures under staggered local schedules that allow final counts to stretch into mid-June or early July.
- President Donald Trump posted unproven claims of large-scale mail-ballot fraud that election officials and federal authorities did not confirm and state leaders publicly rejected.
- Late-counted mail ballots have historically favored Democrats, a pattern that election experts say could change who advances to November and has raised concerns about misinformation and political pressure during the extended count.