Ballots were still being counted June 5, three days after California’s primary election in the hotly contested gubernatorial race.
With the primary still a few months away in Florida, residents seem highly interested in what’s happening in California, turning to Google for the latest results not only for governor but also the Los Angeles mayoral race.
Florida’s primary election will come in August and voters also will be selecting who will represent their party in the race for governor in November’s general election.
The gubernatorial field is a large one, with 48 candidates as of June 5, including 12 Democrats and 15 Republicans, all fighting for the chance to replace current Gov. Ron DeSantis, who can’t run again.
Here’s what you should know, including important dates, but first, since you asked …
What are the latest California election results?
Ballots are slowly being counted in California’s closely watched gubernatorial contest, which was still too close to call late June 4, two days after the polls closed June 2.
➤ Live updates: California continues counting in nail-biter governor’s race
At 6 a.m. June 5, with 60% of the votes counted, Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Xavier Becerra are leading the race for governor, according to the Associated Press.
Hilton has 27.2% of the vote while Becerra, has 26.0%. Democrat Tom Steyer has 20.2% of the votes.
In the Los Angeles mayoral race, with 64% of the votes counted, AP reported incumbent Mayor Karen Bass will advance to a runoff after receiving 35.1% of the vote. Who she will be running against has not yet been called, AP said. Candidate Spencer Pratt currently has 29.4% of the votes, while Nithya Raman has 23.4%.
“California has a history of substantial vote updates after election day that can sometimes shift the outcome of elections as late-arriving mail and drop-off votes are counted,” AP reported.
Why are California election results taking so long?
A large number of mail-in ballots — combined with a last-minute surge among liberal-leaning voters — will take time to count, officials said,
State election officials begin processing ballots postmarked by Election Day after in-person voting ends. It might take weeks to know the final results, they said.
“California elections officials prioritize the right to vote and election security over rushing the vote count,” said Secretary of State Shirley Weber in a June 2 news release.
“We have a process that by law ensures both voting rights and the integrity of elections, so I would call on all Californians to be patient.”
Who is running for governor in Florida?
There is a large field of announced candidates for governor in Florida. Broken down by party, as of June 5, the candidates are:
Voter turnout in past primary elections
According to the Florida Division of Elections, voter turnout during prior gubernatorial primaries has been as follows:
Lowest turnout for Florida primary with governor race was 1998, with a 17% turnout.
Highest turnout for Florida primary with governor race was 1958, with a 54% turnout.
Is Ron DeSantis running for governor again?
No. Gov. Ron DeSantis cannot run again for governor because he has already served two consecutive terms.
➤ Ron DeSantis leaves office soon. What could he do next?
No one can run for three terms in a row, according to Article IV of the Florida Constitution.
DeSantis will leave the Florida governor’s mansion on Jan. 5, 2027.
What Florida state, federal offices will be on the 2026 Florida ballot?
According to the Florida Division of Elections, these are the state and federal offices up for election or retention in 2026:
See the lists of candidates who have registered to run in each of the races at the Florida Division of Elections website.
When is the 2026 Florida primary election and key deadlines?
The Florida primary election day will be Aug. 18, 2026.
Here are key deadlines to be aware of:
When is the 2026 Florida general election and key deadlines?
The Florida general election day will be Nov. 3, 2026, two days after we turn clocks back an hour for the end of daylight saving time on Nov. 1.
Here are key deadlines to be aware of:
Are you a registered voter in Florida? Here’s how to check
To check you’re an active registered voter in Florida, go to the Florida Department of State’s Voter Information Lookup website.
You’ll need to enter:
If you’re listed as an active voter, you are eligible to vote.
Can I still vote by mail in Florida?
Yes, but you’ll need to make a request to vote by mail to the Supervisor of Elections Office in the county where you live:
A request must include:
Who can ask for a vote-by-mail ballot in Florida?
The following persons can request a vote-by-mail ballot for a voter, according to the Florida Division of Elections:
Who are UOCAVA voters?
UOCAVA stands for Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.
UOCAVA voters are U.S. citizens who are active members of the Uniformed Services the Merchant Marine, and the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, their eligible family members and U.S. citizens residing outside the United States.
“The act provides the legal basis for these citizens’ absentee voting requirements for federal offices,” according to the Federal Voting Assistance Program.
Cheryl McCloud is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida’s service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://tallahassee.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: What to know about Florida election deadlines as California keeps counting
Reporting by Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Tallahassee Democrat
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida | USA TODAY Network
