Election law attorney Stephen J. Kaufman explains vote count
Polls closed at 8 p.m. on November 3, 2026. Most Californians vote by mail, and ballots postmarked by Election Day count if received within seven days. Counties must certify final results by December 3 under state law. Leads can shift, close races may remain uncalled, and questions about the process increase during this period.
Stephen J. Kaufman, founder and principal of Kaufman Legal Group, a Los Angeles and Sacramento political law firm marking its 30th year, is available to reporters. He explains what partial numbers mean, why the count proceeds as it does, and the limits of legal challenges that may follow the November 3 election.
Kaufman spent three decades at the center of election administration, counting, and contests. He formerly chaired the California Voting Modernization Board, which oversaw statewide voting system upgrades, and served on the Los Angeles Municipal Elections Reform Commission. He acted as a recount attorney in Florida after the 2000 presidential election and was appointed Chief Counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Democratic Caucus Special Committee on Election Reform in 2001. His firm has handled recounts and election litigation in state and federal courts.
“Election night gives us a first look, not a final answer,” said Kaufman. “California’s process is designed to ensure that every valid ballot is counted, and that takes time. It is important that people understand what is happening at each stage, and what the law allows when someone questions the results.”
Kaufman addresses why California counts take weeks and why shifting leads after election night are normal. He covers what results mean for key races, ballot measures, and the first general election under congressional maps from Proposition 50. He explains close races and recounts, including who may request one, who pays, and typical result changes. Additional topics include how voters cure signature issues and how provisional ballots are processed and counted.
Further topics encompass certification steps by counties and the Secretary of State, plus responses to attempts at delay. Kaufman outlines federal involvement limits in state elections once ballots are cast. He details election contests and litigation in state and federal courts, and distinguishes unsupported fraud allegations from evidence-supported claims.
Kaufman also speaks on campaign finance disclosures filed after the election, remaining campaign debt, and what filings show about funding sources. He discusses signals from the 2026 cycle for election law and administration ahead of 2028.
Kaufman remains available for live, taped, and background interviews until results certification, either in person in Los Angeles or remotely.
The announcement email notes that questions arose immediately after polls closed on November 3 regarding continued counting, shifting leads, and possible court or federal challenges. It positions Kaufman to explain results, the count, and subsequent legal matters in plain English and offers to schedule interviews.
Kaufman Legal Group is a boutique political law firm based in Los Angeles and Sacramento with more than three decades of experience in campaign finance, election law, and government law. The firm guides clients through complex compliance and disclosure rules at federal, state, and local levels. It represents elected officials, candidates, ballot measure campaigns, labor unions, trade associations, nonprofits, corporations, major donors, political parties, PACs, lobbyists, and government agencies in recounts, election challenges, recall elections, ethics advice, conflicts of interest, gift rules, and revolving door issues.
