certify

To ensure all the votes are counted, the state gives counties 30 days to finalize their tallies, and on Dec. 13 the secretary of state will certify the results.

However, these statements were clearly an allusion to the former president’s refusal to accept the 2020 election outcome and the ensuing insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, as Congress worked to certify the electoral college vote.

That these electors would lack legal standing — Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, is the only person who can legally certify the commonwealth's electors — may not be an obstacle in an increasingly politicized judiciary.

Despite reports of ink-spoiled ballots and challenges to how votes are tallied, election officials up and down California said they are confident they can accurately count and certify the millions of votes that are expected to be cast this week.

Those certified results go to the secretary of state, who has until Dec. 7 to certify the statewide result to the governor and presidential electors.