Elon Musk Hails India’s Fast Vote Count, Slams California’s Delays

Tesla CEO Elon Musk praised India’s electoral system on Saturday for its remarkable efficiency in delivering election results in a single day. His comments came in response to an X post sharing a news article with the headline, "How India Counted 640 Million Votes in a Day."

India counted 640 million votes in 1 day.

California is still counting votes 🤦‍♂️ https://t.co/ai8JmWxas6

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 24, 2024

The post also included a caption reading, “Meanwhile in India, where cheating isn’t the primary goal of their elections,” which prompted Musk to share his thoughts on social media.

Musk’s reply was sharp and direct, quoting the post and commenting, “India counted 640 million votes in 1 day. California is still counting votes.” His remark drew attention to the stark contrast in vote-counting speeds between India and California, particularly highlighting the delayed election results in the U.S. state.

The conversation continued as Musk responded to a comment pointing out that California, 18 days after its November 5 election, was still in the process of counting ballots. California, with nearly 39 million residents, is the most populous state in the U.S. and has been notorious for delays in counting votes. Despite 16 million ballots cast in the recent election, over 300,000 remain uncounted, and reports from the Los Angeles Times indicate that more than 570,000 ballots statewide are still pending processing.

The primary cause of these delays is the state’s heavy reliance on mail-in voting. Unlike in-person votes, which can be tallied quickly, each mail-in ballot requires individual validation and processing, slowing down the overall counting process. The volume of mail-in ballots, combined with California’s large size, has contributed to persistent delays in the state’s election outcomes, causing frustration among residents and political observers.

Despite the ongoing challenges, California remains a key battleground for U.S. election results, with the delay in finalizing vote counts continuing to spark debate. Musk's comments serve as a reminder of the contrasting approaches to elections between India and California, with India’s swift vote tallying drawing praise from global observers.