Why Nearly 150,000 California Mail Ballots Were Rejected

California election officials are examining why nearly 150,000 mail-in ballots were rejected during the state’s June primary, with late-arriving ballots accounting for most of the increase.

The higher rejection rate comes despite years of election law changes designed to make voting more accessible and ensure more ballots are ultimately counted.

According to data compiled by the California Secretary of State’s office, 148,241 mail-in ballots were rejected during the June primary, representing 1.73% of all mail ballots returned.