SAN MATEO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA — NOVEMBER 5, 2026. An estimated 130,000 ballots were still unprocessed in San Mateo County as of 4 p.m. Wednesday, November 4, the county Elections Office reports. That estimate is one of the clearest measures available of why Tuesday’s general-election returns should not yet be treated as official final results. The county has scheduled a new count release for Thursday, November 5, before 4:30 p.m. Pacific, followed by additional updates.

What the 130,000 estimate includes and does not include

The official San Mateo County election results page expressly labels the estimate as total estimated unprocessed ballots, dated November 4 at 4 p.m. The number is countywide, covering many different communities and ballot contests. It should not be assigned to any single mayoral race, council district, school trustee area or local measure. The office does not say that all 130,000 ballots necessarily contain a valid selection in every race.

What election-night figures already captured

The county’s semi-official final election-night report included vote-by-mail ballots received through Friday, October 30, as well as all ballots cast at vote centers. The county’s website explicitly warns that mail ballots received from Saturday, October 31 through Election Day, and additional eligible mail arriving afterward, had not all been counted in that first report. That distinction explains why an election-night figure can increase after every precinct has reported.

Next county result releases

San Mateo County schedules additional reports November 5 and 6 before 4:30 p.m., then November 9, November 12 before 9:30 a.m., November 13 and November 16. The county may add further releases as needed. Those are planned report times, not evidence that any scheduled batch has already appeared. The county states its election will be certified December 3.

Local elections to track

Residents of San Mateo, Burlingame, San Carlos, San Bruno, Brisbane, Half Moon Bay and other communities should follow their specific city or district returns rather than applying a county total to every local question. California58 has reported the San Mateo–Foster City school bond Measure W, Burlingame Measure D, San Carlos school district Measure K and the Half Moon Bay Measure I. These earlier stories contain dated preliminary returns; they are not the same thing as the forthcoming November 5 release.

Different approval thresholds

A local charter measure requiring a simple majority is not decided by the same threshold as a special parcel tax or school facilities bond. Some taxes need two-thirds Yes, while school bonds can carry a statutory 55% threshold. The San Mateo County vote totals and the exact official ballot wording determine how each contest is assessed. Media organizations should not infer a final result from a Yes majority without checking the applicable legal threshold.

What voters can do

Anyone wishing to follow the result should use the San Mateo County ACRE results page, note the latest timestamp and check whether the county has published an updated outstanding-ballot estimate. Reporting precincts as complete does not mean all mail ballots have cleared verification. Voters should follow any official ballot-signature correction notice under state law.

Primary source: San Mateo County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder and Elections, official 2026 general election results page (130,000 unprocessed estimate as of Nov. 4, 4 p.m.; count schedule). Checked Nov. 5. All cited electoral results remain unofficial.

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