(Sacramento, CA) — It may take a while to get the results of California’s General Election. Local election offices will verify that the signatures on the ballots match registered voters to ensure no one votes twice. If there are any issues with a signature, workers will contact voters to confirm their ballots.

A new California law also sets a December 3rd deadline for certifying the election results. This means that’s the last day counties can report their final results to the state. Provisional ballots, which are issued when there’s uncertainty about a voter’s eligibility, can also slow down the process.

Plus, Californians can register to vote on Election Day, adding to the time needed to finalize everything.