Tight race for Congressional District 13

MERCED COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Hundreds of thousands of ballots are still being counted across the state and in Merced County as voters await the results of Congressional District 13.

"I understand the public's impatience at times with wanting to know results quickly, but there are a lot of laws that we have to follow quickly in California to make sure that this count is done properly, is done securely, is done accurately," said Mel Levey, Merced Co. Registrar of Voters.

In 2022, only 564 votes separated the race between Republican candidate John Duarte and Democrat Adam Gray.

Merced County Registrar of Voters, Mel Levey says it takes time for such a tight race.

"We saw two years ago in this congressional district, this race wasn't decided until early December. We saw two years prior to that in 2020, it took more than three and a half weeks before certification," said Levey.

When signatures can't be verified, candidates can choose to help with the cure process ensuring every vote is counted, regardless of knowing who the person voted for.

"Representatives of both Adam Gray and John Duarte have requested that data. They are going door to door in some cases to speak to voters whose signature has been challenged and asking them to fill out that affidavit," said Levey.

Both candidates telling Action News this is what they expected and are being patient as the process plays out.

"We shouldn't be as focused on the time, as we should on the accuracy, that everybody is doing it appropriately, and counting the votes appropriately," said Gray.

"We are going to wait for everybody to be counted. Until this race is called," Rep. Duarte.

New data shows there are still 3,182 ballots left to count in Merced.

But there are also 1,276 eligible to be cured, awaiting signature verifications.

Both teams are hard at work, helping with the process and ensuring vital votes are in.

"We'll take up Republican and independent ballots, I will take them to the families in the households that cast those ballots and say if this is your ballot, we need your signature on this card to cure this ballot and make sure your vote is counted," said Rep. Duarte.

"Well, I want to make sure every vote's counted. Whether people voted for me or against me, I'm a believer's in democracy and it's something we should all be a believers in," said Gray.

California counties have until December 3 to certify their results with the secretary of state.

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