California is giving America a master class in how to destroy confidence in elections.
Spencer Pratt is ahead on Election Night. Days later, after the “late” mail-in ballot drops start rolling in, Nithya Raman suddenly gains in update after update and jumps into second place.
And we’re all supposed to pretend voters are crazy for asking questions?
No voter ID. Mass mail-in ballots. Ballots arriving days after Election Day. Weak proof of residency. Weak proof that someone is actually entitled to vote in that district. And somehow the establishment candidate always seems to find just enough votes, with just enough time, in just the right places.
That may be legal in California. That does not make it trustworthy.
A republic cannot survive on “just trust us.” Voters should have to prove who they are, where they live, and that they are citizens eligible to vote. Election Day should mean Election Day. Counting should be fast, transparent, and observable.
When the public watches a lead vanish days later behind a cloud of mail-in ballots, the problem is not just the count. The problem is the perception. And California has earned every bit of skepticism it gets.
Election integrity is not a conspiracy theory. It is the minimum standard for self-government.