By Armando Salud-Ambriz, Nevada County Clerk-Recorder/Registrar of Voters
Each election season, the same question consistently arises: Why does it take California so long to certify election results?
It’s a fair question and one I deeply respect, because it shows our community’s engagement and desire for transparency. The short answer is that California’s commitment to accuracy, voter access, and election integrity requires a deliberate and legally defined process that extends well beyond Election Day.
A Commitment to Accuracy and Access
California’s elections are designed to make voting as accessible as possible. Every active registered voter is mailed a ballot 29 days before Election Day. Voters may mail their ballot, drop it off at any official drop box or voting location in the state, or vote in person at a Vote Center.
This flexibility, while essential to voter participation, also adds time to the post-Election Day process also referred to as the “official canvass” process. By law, vote-by-mail ballots postmarked on or before Election Day and received within seven days can still be counted. In addition, voters who need to correct a missing or mismatched signature have until two days before certification to do so. These laws are designed to ensure that every eligible voter has the opportunity to have their ballot counted, even if small issues arise.
What Happens After Election Day
When polls close at 8 p.m., only the portion of the ballots that have been fully verified will be counted on Election Day. The ballots dropped off on Election Day must still be transported, logged, signature-verified, and processed before they can be counted and added to future results.
Each vote-by-mail envelope’s signature is compared to the voter’s registration record. Only after the signature is confirmed can the ballot be separated from its envelope and prepared for tabulation. If the signature doesn’t match, staff must contact the voter and give them an opportunity to “cure” their ballot.
We also review provisional and same-day registration ballots, which are used when voters’ eligibility needs to be confirmed before their votes can be counted. These ballots require additional research to ensure that no one votes more than once, and that each voter is properly registered.
In Nevada County, we have seen high participation from voters who return their ballots late in the voting period, particularly on Election Day itself. While this reflects healthy civic engagement, it also means a large volume of ballots arrive all at once, extending the time needed to process and count them accurately.
The Legal Timeline
California law provides elections offices 30 days after Election Day to complete what’s known as the “official canvass.” This is a comprehensive review that ensures every vote is counted exactly once and every legal ballot is included in the final totals.
Due to the requirements of Assembly Bill 3184, the earliest any county can certify the November 4, 2025, Statewide Special Election is Tuesday, December 2, 2025. During the canvass period, our office continues to post updated unofficial results every Tuesday and Friday (excluding holidays), so voters can follow the progress as we move toward certification.
Our Local Responsibility
Here in Nevada County, our dedicated election workers both permanent staff and temporary teams work diligently to complete these legally required steps. From verifying signatures and processing ballots to conducting the 1% manual tally audit that checks our vote-counting equipment for accuracy, every part of the process is performed with integrity and transparency.
This work takes time, but that time ensures confidence. When we certify election results, we are not just posting numbers we are affirming that every eligible vote was counted accurately and lawfully.
The 1% Manual Tally: Ensuring Accuracy
An important part of the official canvass is the 1% manual tally, a post-election audit required by California law to ensure the accuracy of the vote count.
During this process, our office randomly selects at least 1% of precincts and manually counts every ballot from those precincts by hand. The hand count results are then compared to the machine-tabulated results.
This comparison confirms that our vote-counting equipment is functioning correctly and that ballots were accurately read and recorded. If discrepancies are found, they are investigated thoroughly before certification.
The manual tally will take place at Ballot Processing Center, 12740 Loma Rica Drive, Grass Valley Monday, Nov. 10. A random drawing of precincts and batches begins at 9 a.m. with the manual tally starting at 10 a.m. Members of the public are invited to attend and observe as part of our ongoing commitment to transparency and trust in the election process.
Did You Know?
California has a detailed set of uniform standards for counting ballots. These standards help elections officials determine how to count ballots when the voter's intent is unclear. For example, sometimes people make a mistake on their vote by mail ballot and make corrections indicating how they intended to vote. The standards help all California officials determine voter marks so that we can count every vote to the fullest extent possible.
Want to learn more? See the latest Uniform Vote Counting Standards!
Thank You
To our voters: thank you for your participation and your trust. Democracy depends on both engagement and accuracy, and in Nevada County we are committed to both.
To our staff and election workers: thank you for your tireless service and long hours ensuring that every voice in our community is heard.
While it may take until early December to officially certify this election, that timeline reflects the care, dedication, and integrity that every voter deserves.
For ongoing election updates, please visit NevadaCountyCA.gov/Elections. Listen to my interview with Nevada County Now.
