Election Officials Express Skepticism Over Social Media Posts Telling Democrats to Delay Voting

California elections officials issued a stark warning to voters on Tuesday, urging them to mail their ballots at least seven days before the June 2 election due to ongoing postal service delays throughout the state.

Attorney General Rob Bonta and Secretary of State Shirley Weber held a news conference in Sacramento to address mounting concerns about ballot delivery times following significant operational changes at the U.S. Postal Service that have slowed mail delivery across California.

“Get your ballot in the mail at least a week early,” Bonta emphasized. “You want to make sure your vote is counted.” The officials advised voters who plan to mail their ballots within seven days of the election to visit their local post office in person and request a postmark, or alternatively use secure ballot drop boxes available throughout the state.

These recommendations come in response to sweeping USPS changes implemented last year that reduced mail pickup trips, particularly in rural areas. The impact on California voters is especially significant since the state relies heavily on mail-in voting.

A Los Angeles Times analysis of last November’s special election revealed a troubling trend: a dramatically higher number of mail-in ballots arrived too late to be counted compared to the 2024 election. Rural counties experienced the most substantial increases in rejected late ballots.

“You want your vote to be counted, I want your vote to be counted,” Bonta told reporters. “If you vote earlier, you maximize that possibility that it will.” Under California law, vote-by-mail ballots must be postmarked on or before election day and must arrive within seven days of the election to be counted.

During the news conference, officials also addressed concerning social media posts circulating on Facebook and Instagram that urge Democrats to “vote late” in the upcoming election. These similar-worded posts advise Democratic voters to delay casting their ballots and to rally around one candidate to prevent two Republicans from securing the top spots in California’s primary system.

Under the state’s primary rules, the two candidates receiving the most votes advance to the November election regardless of party affiliation. With seven prominent Democrats on the ballot, some Democratic leaders worry that Republican candidates Steve Hilton, a businessman, and Chad Bianco, Riverside County Sheriff, could split the Democratic vote and capture both advancement positions.

One viral Facebook post falsely attributed to historian Heather Cox Richardson warned voters to withhold their votes until after all debates conclude and a Democratic front-runner emerges. When contacted by the Times, Richardson denied authorship, stating: “I didn’t write it and we can’t figure out who did. I haven’t—and won’t—take any position in a primary.”

Bonta characterized these posts as potential “misinformation” or “disinformation” that could be “potentially unlawful,” though he did not specify what laws might have been broken.

The June election comes after heightened scrutiny during the last statewide vote, when the U.S. Department of Justice monitored polling sites in several California counties at the request of Republican Party officials. That election ultimately proceeded without significant incidents.

Governor Gavin Newsom has also weighed in on election integrity concerns. In a letter sent Monday to elections officials across all 58 California counties, Newsom highlighted recent legislation requiring ballots to be counted within 13 days instead of 30 days. He stressed the importance of prompt vote tabulation, writing: “We must acknowledge that the longer the voting count takes, the more mis- and disinformation spreads.”

As the election approaches, officials continue to emphasize the importance of early voting while working to combat misleading information that could impact voter participation and confidence in the electoral process.