Millions of Californians filled out their 2026 primary election ballots over the last several weeks either at home or at the polls, expressing their constitutional right to vote in a free and fair election. And each election cycle, it takes days — even weeks — to count the millions of mail-in ballots, leading to questions inside and outside the state about whether the process needs changing. As frustrations mount and impatience grows, some experts say the state is simply doing its due diligence