Can Spencer win with a big write-in showing on election day?
2. How write‑in votes are handled and when they count
California allows voters to write in names, but write‑in votes are only counted for qualified write‑in candidates who have met filing requirements with election officials; furthermore, write‑in candidates for voter‑nominated offices can only run in the primary election, and procedures vary by county about how and when a written name will be certified and reported [4] [5] [3].
https://factually.co/fact-checks/politics/california-2026-ballot-leave-blank-or-write-in-1d4811