President Trump has accused Democrats of “big cheating” in California’s vote count, declaring the delay under investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles.

The timing is critical as Republican candidates entered election night with strong positions, and extended counting periods have seen late batches favor Democrats. The two races at the center are the open primary for Los Angeles Mayor and the California gubernatorial primary.

Reality TV star Spencer Pratt leads left-wing LA City Councilwoman Nithya Raman but trails incumbent Karen Bass by a slim margin. Businessman Steve Hilton leads the governor’s race.

Few votes have been counted since election night, yet those tallied so far have benefited Democrats. Trump claims Democrats are “executing the steal,” and on Thursday morning announced an investigation launched by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles. In a statement, he wrote: “There’s BIG cheating by the Democrats in California. Votes are all tied up. May not be in for weeks.”

The remaining ballot pool is large enough to alter both races. Data shows Los Angeles still has 322,000 votes outstanding and only 62 percent counted nearly 36 hours after polls closed. Late batches in the governor’s race have seen Democrats Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer gain ground while Steve Hilton’s lead is under pressure.

This pattern has emerged repeatedly: election night appearances one way, followed by late counts shifting outcomes. Despite no evidence of fraud, Trump framed the situation as ongoing cheating with an investigation underway. Voters question why a modern state cannot complete ballot counting faster, especially with federal oversight now pressuring California to explain the delay.

Republicans entered these races with momentum, but federal investigators watching the count have made it harder for California to extend the process without transparency.