Trump raises specter of fraud with baseless accusations about California elections

President Donald Trump was displeased with the outcome of the California primary elections. Convinced his intervention was decisive, he insists that without the pressure he exerted in recent days on behalf of the Republican candidate for governor, Steve Hilton, he would not have advanced to the November runoff, where he will face the candidate backed by the Democratic establishment, Xavier Becerra. “But the only reason they approved Steve Hilton, it was going to be two weeks, they said. And then they approved it that night because the heat was on them because they’re cheating dogs,” the president said Wednesday from the Oval Office.

Trump was referring to how Hilton led the count on election night but steadily lost ground as outstanding ballots were tallied. Days earlier he had already called the elections “rigged” and “corrupt.” He lost his patience when an NBC reporter reminded him there is no evidence supporting those claims. “They’re cheating on the election. All I have to do is look... and I listen to people and let’s see what happens,” the president responded angrily. He then rose from his seat and ended the exchange.

Democrats were expected to start as favorites in a state that for decades has largely backed that party. The response from Republicans was also predictable: in recent years they have promoted the narrative that their opponents resort to electoral fraud to win public office. U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles Bill Essayli stoked that theory on Monday by saying charges are likely to be filed against people for alleged election fraud in California, although no charges have been announced so far. His remarks align with complaints made by Trump and other Republican leaders, who say California’s voter rolls contain irregularities and insist they are “dirty.”

In the race for California governor, Becerra consolidated his lead with 2.39 million votes, or 27.9% of the total, when 91% of ballots had been counted. Hilton had 2.13 million votes (25.5%) and secured his spot in the November runoff. Both surpassed Democratic billionaire Tom Steyer, who spent more than $200 million of his personal fortune on the campaign.

The outcome matched what polls had predicted, but that was not enough to silence the suspicions and theories promoted by Republican circles. “Do you think it’s appropriate that they have an election and five days later, they’re nowhere close to picking a winner?” Trump said Wednesday. “They’re crooked.”

Polls were also accurate in the race for Los Angeles mayor. Incumbent Mayor Karen Bass, a Democrat, received 43.3% of the vote and advanced to a runoff against city councilor Nithya Raman, also a Democrat, who rose in the count to reach 29%. The result left out Republican Spencer Pratt, who finished third with 25.5% of the vote. Pratt had trailed Bass in the early counts on election night. That reversal has fueled suspicions among his supporters. So far he has not conceded, despite 98% of ballots having been tallied.

Tech magnate Elon Musk also added fuel on Sunday to the unsupported allegations of fraud disadvantaging Pratt. The CEO of Tesla and SpaceX posted several messages questioning the “statistical impossibility” of Raman overtaking the Republican candidate. He also shared an X user’s post suggesting Pratt had received no votes during an update that added 24,000 ballots. The theory was debunked by the U.S. Attorney himself. “We reviewed official county records. The claim is false,” Essayli wrote on his X account. “Each candidate received votes in every update.”

The “red mirage”

Experts call this phenomenon the “red mirage.” On election night, Republican candidates often appear to hold a solid lead that then fades over hours or days. That happens because California accepts mail ballots as long as they bear the postmark of election day, which extends the counting. At the same time, the most populous urban counties — traditional Democratic strongholds — need more time to process millions of ballots. When those votes are finally counted, the margins can change the picture that initially emerged.

Prosecutor Essayli, however, argues that California’s electoral system has vulnerabilities. On Friday he announced on X that his office has “multiple election fraud investigations underway,” although he offered no details about the cases and provided no public evidence. According to the official, the state’s voter rolls include records of deceased people and of voters who no longer live in California. He also claims verification mechanisms are insufficient to prevent undocumented immigrants from registering and voting.

“Almost anyone can register to vote in California. You don’t need a Social Security number or a driver’s license. [You can vote with] a gym membership, a prescription label, a work ID and, my favorite, a health insurance card. And it turns out California provides health insurance to undocumented immigrants,” Essayli said in a recent interview on conservative commentator Glenn Beck’s program.

Essayli’s office has pointed to an isolated case as an example of alleged election fraud: a woman who for years collected signatures for ballot initiatives and was accused of paying up to $3 to homeless people living in Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles in exchange for backing her causes and registering to vote. According to the prosecutor’s office, she was paid for each new voter she registered. Brenda Lee Brown Armstrong, 64, is expected to plead guilty in the coming days to a related federal charge that carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

California’s response

At the same time, the Department of Justice has sued the state of California seeking access to an audit of its voter rolls, arguing it needs to detect possible irregularities. The case has reached the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, while the state says the federal request constitutes undue interference in its electoral responsibilities.

Shortly before the primary elections, Governor Gavin Newsom signed a law he said was designed to shield the vote from possible interference by Trump. The law bars anyone, including federal agents, from accessing voter rolls or election technology without a court order. “We have to be prepared for everything,” Newsom said, arguing the measure responds to a “legitimate anxiety” generated by a president who, in his view, “does not believe in free and fair elections.”

Democratic leaders say the president has attempted to interfere in electoral matters after the FBI seized ballots earlier this year from the most populous county in Georgia, which leans Democratic. The Department of Justice has also sought access to election materials in counties in Arizona and Michigan.

“Trump says voter fraud should land people in prison. Agreed. And let’s start with the politicians spreading election lies with the goal of illegally interfering with counting ballots,” the governor wrote on his X account Tuesday. “In California, I just signed a law making that punishable with up to 3 years behind bars.”

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