It could take weeks for all of the midterm ballots to be counted in California — which means it could also take that long to determine which party wins the House should the results in other states be too close to be conclusive.
The possibility of a long wait could be blamed on the Golden State’s election laws, which allow people to vote by mail up to and on Election Day rather than show up at the polls themselves, Politico reported.
Democratic strategist Katie Merrill told the website that she envisioned President Trump tweeting allegations of voter fraud, followed by election lawyers flooding the Orange County Registrar’s Office, further muddying the waters.
“I think we’re looking at Palm Beach 2.0, and this is a nightmare scenario everyone needs to be prepared for,” Merrill said, referring to the Bush-Gore 2000 presidential election in Florida, which was ultimately decided by a divided Supreme Court.
“Trump will not let it stand if it comes down to California,” she charged.
California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa’s narrow win two years ago wasn’t certified until the Monday after Thanksgiving, three weeks after Election Day.
That same seat — now a race between Republican Diane Harkey and Democrat Mike Levin — is among the districts considered essential for Democrats to win the House.
“I’ve been telling reporters for months, get your reservations for hotel rooms in Orange County,” Rob Stutzman, a GOP strategist who believes House control could come down to a handful of California seats in those Southern California suburbs, told Politico.
California encourages voters to cast their ballots by mail, and Orange County Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley said he expected 60 percent of his county’s 1.6 million voters to use mail ballots.
Of those, 35 percent or more will turn them in Election Day at polling places or mailboxes.
“Right there, you have another 10 days on top of the process,” Kelley said.