California’s slow ballot count a symptom: The state can’t do anything

Summary

California's notoriously slow ballot-counting process has become emblematic of the state's broader dysfunction, according to this opinion piece. Election officials have struggled for weeks to tabulate votes in recent contests, leaving results uncertain long after polls close. The delays frustrate voters and raise questions about competence and resources, but they're merely one symptom of a state that struggles to deliver basic services, from infrastructure maintenance to permit processing. The piece argues California's inability to execute efficiently extends across government, suggesting systemic rather than isolated failures.