California primary data reviewed by press group shows more than 148,000 mail ballots rejected

California’s recent primary election saw a large number of mail-in ballots rejected, according to rejection figures published by Zero Hedge that it said were provided by California state officials. The report puts the total at more than 148,000 rejected mail ballots.

The Zero Hedge analysis said the rejection total represented an uptick of more than 40,000 compared with the 2024 primary, citing the comparison to last year’s primary election baseline. The report did not describe the specific reasons for rejection in its summary, but it characterized the figures as based on election administration data from the state.

The report also referenced election workers involved in ballot processing and tabulation, including imagery from Los Angeles County’s ballot operations. It framed the rejection figures as part of the operational outcomes of the mail ballot review process leading into tabulation.

Mail ballots are routinely checked against eligibility and submission requirements before votes are counted. In California, election administration includes procedures for determining whether a mail ballot is accepted or rejected, but the report’s summary does not specify what share of rejections resulted from particular categories of noncompliance.

Beyond the immediate totals, the reported increase raises questions about how voters and election administrators navigated the state’s mail voting requirements during the primary. Election rejection rates can be affected by voter outreach, ballot handling timelines, and the effectiveness of any curative steps taken by election officials when a ballot fails initial checks.

Election administrators and courts can become involved when ballot acceptance and rejection standards are challenged, but no lawsuit details were included in the Zero Hedge summary. As a result, the next steps for a full accounting would depend on whether California releases additional breakdowns of rejection reasons and whether those figures are incorporated into official post-election reporting.

Officials typically publish certified results and detailed election administration reporting after primaries. For voters and policymakers, the central factual issue in the reporting is the magnitude of rejected mail ballots and the year-to-year increase described by the Zero Hedge review.