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The newest ballot update revealed Raman gaining more than 10,000 additional votes, while Pratt added fewer than 6,000 during the same reporting period.
Just one count earlier, Pratt held a significantly larger advantage, with 157,116 votes compared to Raman’s 119,809. The numbers suggest that each subsequent ballot release has favored Raman, allowing her to gradually chip away at Pratt’s lead.
Political analysts note that this pattern is not uncommon in California, where mail-in ballots often arrive and are counted well after Election Day. However, many voters continue to question why one of America’s largest states requires weeks to finalize election results.
California law permits ballots postmarked by Election Day to arrive as late as seven days afterward and still be counted. That policy, combined with the state’s extensive mail voting system, routinely delays final outcomes in major races.
The uncertainty is not limited to Los Angeles.
California’s gubernatorial primary is also tightening as additional ballots are processed.
Republican businessman Steve Hilton currently holds a narrow advantage over former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. According to statewide election figures, Hilton has collected 1,533,435 votes while Becerra trails with 1,470,100.
Democrat billionaire Tom Steyer remains behind both candidates with 1,139,517 votes.
As vote counting drags on, criticism of California’s election system has intensified nationwide.
The controversy has now reached Washington, drawing the attention of President Donald Trump and federal officials.
Trump took to Truth Social on Thursday, accusing Democrats of benefiting from prolonged ballot counting and calling for federal scrutiny of the process.
“The Dumocrats are at it again! They are trying to STEAL THE GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA PRIMARY, AND THE MAYOR OF LOS ANGELES, PRIMARY, AWAY FROM TWO GREAT REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES. Here we go with the very late and massive numbers of MAIL IN BALLOTS,”
Trump followed with another warning:
“There’s BIG cheating by the Dumocrats in California. Votes are all tied up. May not be in for weeks. Under investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles. Why the vote counting DELAY???”
Later that day, the president doubled down on his criticism.
“Look what’s happening in California, the Dumocrats, right before our very eyes, are stealing the Vote. I hope the Republicans are watching so that they can finally pass THE SAVE AMERICA ACT!”
Trump also used the controversy to promote his proposed Save America Act, which includes voter identification requirements, proof of citizenship standards, tighter restrictions on mail voting, protections for women’s sports, and prohibitions on transgender procedures for minors.
Meanwhile, California Governor Gavin Newsom has attempted to reassure voters that the slow pace is simply part of the state’s election laws.
Newsom’s office released an explanatory video featuring CNN correspondent Elex Michaelson, who argued that the lengthy counting process is a predictable consequence of California’s voting rules rather than evidence of misconduct.
That explanation has done little to quiet skeptics.
For many voters, the optics remain troubling. Election Day has come and gone, yet major races remain unresolved while shifting ballot totals continue reshaping the political landscape.
With additional ballot dumps expected in the coming days, all eyes remain on Los Angeles. Pratt still occupies the coveted second-place position, but if recent trends continue, Raman could make the race far more competitive than anyone expected on election night.
Whether Pratt can hold off the late surge or whether Raman eventually overtakes him may determine not only who advances to November, but also whether California’s election system faces even greater scrutiny in the weeks ahead.
