Los Angeles, California - June 8, 2026

Leaked Footage Exposes Empty Workstations at Los Angeles Ballot Processing Center as Backlog Exceeds 713,000 Ballots

A video and on-site reporting from Los Angeles County’s massive ballot counting facility has revealed dozens of vacant workstations and significantly understaffed sections despite a backlog of more than 713,180 unprocessed ballots from the June 2 primary. Only 77,521 additional ballots have been processed since election night, according to the latest county update.

Reporters who visited the 144,000-square-foot facility observed long rows of empty chairs and multiple areas where no workers were present at desks. In one section dedicated to reviewing ballots that scanners could not process, approximately 25 bins sat ready with no employees seated nearby. In another area where envelopes are opened and ballots prepared for counting, roughly 75 workers were on duty in a space designed to accommodate more than twice that number.

When questioned about the empty workstations, one election center staff member told reporters not to be “fooled by what you see” but provided no further explanation before walking away.

California gubernatorial frontrunner Steve Hilton called on Gov. Gavin Newsom to establish an Emergency Election Count Accelerator Corps, mobilizing additional state personnel and rapid-response teams to help clear the backlog without compromising security or legal standards.

“California is the laughing stock of the nation when it comes to election reporting,” Hilton said. “We are the fourth-largest economy in the world, home to Silicon Valley and some of the most advanced technology on earth, yet government bureaucrats need a month to count fewer than 10 million ballots.”

President Donald Trump also criticized the slow pace on Truth Social, accusing Democrats of attempting to “STEAL THE GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA PRIMARY, AND THE MAYOR OF LOS ANGELES PRIMARY” through very late and massive numbers of mail-in ballots.

Los Angeles County spends nearly $336 million annually on its Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s office, which has more than 1,100 budgeted positions. Registrar Dean Logan earns an annual salary of $448,179.

In sharp contrast, other states that held elections on the same day have nearly completed their counts. New Jersey has reported roughly 93 percent of ballots counted, while New Mexico and Montana are approaching 98 percent. Los Angeles County has more than 5.8 million registered voters.

The combination of visible understaffing, slow processing, and a massive remaining backlog has intensified questions about whether the county has the capacity and urgency required to deliver timely and transparent results.