California carries a lot of ‘wait’ in outcome

It could take weeks for all of the midterm ballots to be counted in California — which means it could also take that long to determine which party wins the House if the outcome is in doubt after other states report their votes.

That scenario could happen because of the state’s laws, which allow people to vote by mail up to and on Election Day rather than show up at the polls, Politico reported.

California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa’s narrow win two years ago wasn’t certified until the Monday after Thanksgiving, three weeks after Election Day.

That same seat — now a race between Republican Diane Harkey and Democrat Mike Levin — is among the districts consid- ered essential for Democrats to win the House.

“I’ve been telling reporters for months: Get your reservations for hotel rooms in Orange County,” said Rob Stutzman, a GOP strategist who believes House control could come down to a handful of California seats in that county.

California encourages voters to cast their ballots by mail, and Orange County Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley said he expected 60 percent of his county’s 1.6 million voters to use postal mail ballots.

Of those, 35 percent or more will turn them in Election Day at polling places or mailboxes.

“Right there, you have another 10 days on top of the process,” Kelley said.