California Democrats Urge Late Voting to Block Republican Lockout

A movement among some California Democrats to delay casting ballots in the state's open gubernatorial primary has drawn sharp condemnation from state officials and raised legal concerns. The strategy aims to consolidate Democratic support behind the strongest candidate and prevent two Republicans from advancing to the November general election under California's top-two primary system. The push gained momentum after former Rep. Eric Swalwell's candidacy collapsed amid sexual assault allegations, leaving former HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra as the Democratic frontrunner, followed by Tom Steyer, Katie Porter, and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan in a crowded 61-candidate field. Democratic Party strategists also pressured low-polling candidates to withdraw. Attorney General Rob Bonta characterized social media posts promoting late voting as potentially unlawful misinformation, while Secretary of State Shirley Weber announced her office would investigate. Governor Gavin Newsom urged all 58 county registrars to tabulate and release results quickly, writing that time is of the essence in preventing election lies from taking hold. Political historian Heather Cox Richardson denied authoring the social media posts promoting the strategy. Election administrators warned that a surge of last-minute ballots would create a pig-in-the-python effect, overwhelming county offices and delaying final results. Pollster Mark DiCamillo cautioned that the crowded field makes accurate polling difficult, and consultant Paul Mitchell dismissed the strategy as unlikely to change voter behavior. The primary is set for June 2, with mail-in ballots distributed starting May 4 and early voting centers opening May 23.