California primary counts, Trump alleges fraud, officials respond
PUBLISHED Jun 8, 2026, 4:27 PM ET
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Los Angeles this week saw early returns from the June 2 California primary that briefly showed Republican Steve Hilton and Republican Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt ahead in key contests, prompting President Trump to publicly question the counting process on national television; officials and reporters emphasized that mail-in ballot timing routinely alters initial standings. California election administrators, including Los Angeles County Registrar Dean Logan, and Democratic officials such as Rep. Ted Lieu on Tuesday urged patience and adherence to legal procedures, noting that roughly 40–50 percent of mail-in and other ballots are often counted after election night and that outcomes can shift as counting continues.
By James Porter | JQJO News
Timeline of Events
- June 2: California holds all-mail top-two primary; early returns reported.
- Primary night: Steve Hilton and Spencer Pratt appear to lead in initial tallies.
- Weekend after primary: mail-in ballots counted, altering preliminary standings.
- Following results: President Trump alleges fraud during media appearances without presenting evidence.
- This week: Registrar Dean Logan and Rep. Ted Lieu publicly defend counting processes and advise waiting for final totals.
News Intelligence
- Election results can swing as mail-in ballots are counted. This affects local and national races, including those you vote in. It's crucial to understand this process to make sense of early results. Check your county's election website for updates on ballot counting.
- Articles Published:
- 6
- Right Leaning:
- 0
- Left Leaning:
- 1
- Neutral:
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- Distribution:
- Left 17%, Center 83%, Right 0%
Candidates Steve Hilton and Spencer Pratt gained early visibility when initial counts from California's June 2 primary showed them leading in key contests, increasing their public profiles heading into subsequent stages of the election.
President Trump and Republicans advancing fraud narratives faced pushback from election officials and lawmakers who called the allegations unsupported as counting continued and results shifted.
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California primary counts, Trump alleges fraud, officials respond
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