California’s U.S. House Republicans and Democratic state lawmakers share a rare common goal this year: speed up the state’s election results process.

The state has faced repeated criticism for its slow vote counting. Close congressional races in the state are often among the last in the nation to be called, and new legislation at the state and federal level would require counties to report results faster.

AB 5, a bill by Assemblymember Marc Berman, D-Menlo Park, would require counties to finish counting most ballots within 10 days of the election.

It allows exceptions for provisional ballots and mail-in ballots that have issues such as a missing or mismatched voter signature. Voters would still have time to “cure” those ballots, or rectify any mistake to ensure their vote is counted.

Berman’s bill would also allow counties to request an extension from the Secretary of State.

The San Mateo County Democrat acknowledged California’s drawn-out vote counting “can be confusing to voters (and) frustrating for candidates.” He said the bill may still undergo tweaks as he works with county election officials to refine the language.

The bill would not change official election certification timelines. Counties must certify their election within 30 days of the election. The Secretary of State certifies all results 38 days after the election.

Elections officials have said that above speed, they prize accuracy and rules that give voters ample time to correct issues with mail-in ballots.

“It’s about getting it right, not rushing it,” said Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, D-Santa Cruz, a former county elections chief.

Pellerin endorsed Berman’s bill earlier this week, saying it strikes a balance that will not “compromise the accuracy, security and integrity of the election.” The bill passed its first hurdle in the Assembly Elections Committee on Wednesday and will next be heard in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

A more aggressive plan introduced in Congress this week would require states to count and publicly report at least 90% of ballots counted in federal elections within 72 hours of poll closing.

The bill also would require states complete the counting and certify final results within two weeks of Election Day. In last year’s presidential election, California officially certified the results in December.

“This ridiculous delay fosters distrust and confusion about the direction of our government and responsiveness to voters,” said Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Roseville, in a statement this week as he introduced the bill.

“Other states manage to complete election results faster and without incident — there’s no reason California can’t get this job done in a more timely manner,” he said.

Secretary of State Shirley Weber’s office, which oversees elections, did not respond to a request for comment.

The bill, called the Election Results Accountability Act, is sponsored by six of California’s nine Republican members of Congress. They include Kiley and Reps. Jay Obernolte, R-Big Bear Lake; Ken Calvert, R-Corona; Vince Fong, R-Bakersfield; David Valadao, R-Hanford, and Darrell Issa, R-San Marcos.

The bill allows for delays outside a state’s control, such as natural disasters, public health emergencies, cyberattacks, or technical failures. Also eligible for a different timeline are recounts and implementation of new procedures.

But Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., California’s secretary of state from 2015 to 2021, doesn’t like the bill.

“This is another Republican attempt to disenfranchise voters who cast legal ballots under California law. California has nearly 23 million registered voters, so it takes time to accurately and efficiently count the millions of votes cast each election,” he told The Bee.

“We must always prioritize an accurate count over a rushed process that may not capture the will of the people,” Padilla said.

Republicans have been trying for years to change election laws. President Donald Trump has claimed that the 2020 presidential election was rigged, and Thursday, the GOP-run House passed the Safeguard American Eligibility Act.

Last month, he signed an executive order that says people have to show proof of citizenship to register to vote. His order would also bar states from counting ballots that have been mailed that arrive once the election is over. California and 18 other states are challenging the order in court.

The House bill, which is unlikely to pass the Senate, would require prospective voters to show an official document verifying their identity and citizenship status. That would mean that people would need to show a birth certificate, passport or other proof they’re a U.S. citizen, which many would find difficult to do in person. Critics say the bill would deny millions the right to vote.

Members of Congress are usually sworn in on January 3 in the year after their election. New members usually visit Washington for a few days of orientation in November.

It hasn’t been unusual for prospective members whose races are still undecided to go through the process. The 2024 race between Rep. Adam Gray, D-Merced, and Rep. John Duarte, R-Modesto, wasn’t decided until early December. Gray won by less than 200 votes.

California’s ballot can take a month to be formally certified. Election officials say they particularly need time to verify mail and provisional ballots.

The use of mail-in ballots skyrocketed in California in 2020 during the pandemic. In 2021, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into a law a bill that requires the Secretary of State’s office to send every registered voter in California a mail-in ballot. Election workers say that this slows down the counting process, as vote-by-mail ballots require extra steps to verify signatures and cure any errors.

Distributed by Tribune News Service