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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The effort to finalize the vote count for the Nov. 4 statewide special election on Proposition 50 is nearing its close.

On Monday, the Lake County Registrar of Voters offices said it’s down to the final 242 unprocessed ballots to count, all of them vote-by-mail ballots that require further review.

Immediately after the Nov. 4 election, the elections office reported having more than 10,500 votes to count, a number that is not unusual following a larger election.

On the state level, the vote count continues to hold strongly in favor of the “yes vote,” with 7,440,072 votes, or 64.4%, to 4,111,066 “nos”, or 35.6%

Last week, the numbers posted on the California Secretary of State’s website showed that the narrow lead of a few hundred votes in favor of the measure on the local level had flipped and the no vote was leading by a small margin of less than 30 votes

This week’s report showed that the lead has grown to 55 votes, with the preliminary numbers in Lake County breaking down as follows:

• Yes: 10,344 votes, or 49.9%
• No: 10,389 votes, or 50.1% percent.

The vote results won’t be considered final until they are certified by the state.

The Registrar of Voters Office said it will certify the election results on Dec. 2.

The Secretary of State’s Office plans to certify the final results on Dec. 12.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, and on Bluesky, @erlarson.bsky.social. Find Lake County News on the following platforms: Facebook, @LakeCoNews; X, @LakeCoNews; Threads, @lakeconews, and on Bluesky, @lakeconews.bsky.social.

Details: Written by: Elizabeth Larson; Published: 25 November 2025

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — As the holiday season gets underway, the California Highway Patrol reminds motorists that the simplest way to stay safe on the road this Thanksgiving weekend is to buckle up before every trip.

The CHP will begin its Thanksgiving Holiday Enforcement Period, or HEP, at 6:01 p.m. on Wednesday, November 26, and continue through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 30.

Throughout the enforcement period, CHP officers will be on patrol to help ensure everyone obeys traffic laws, wears a seat belt and drives safely.

“Thanksgiving is a time to be with family and friends, not to mourn a preventable tragedy. Seat belts remain one of the most effective tools for saving lives on our roadways. Taking just two seconds to buckle up could be the decision that saves your life or the life of someone you love,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee.

During last year’s Thanksgiving HEP, 36 people died in crashes across California. Within CHP jurisdiction, 14 vehicle occupants were killed and six of them were not wearing a seat belt. CHP officers also made more than 1,100 arrests for driving under the influence during the same 102-hour holiday enforcement effort.

Over the past five years, CHP officers have issued an average of more than 26,000 citations annually for seat belt violations.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, when worn correctly, seat belts reduce the risk of fatal injury for front-seat passengers by 45%.

Whether you’re driving across town or across the state, the CHP urges all motorists and passengers to buckle up, drive sober and obey the speed limit. The holidays are meant for celebration and connection — not loss. Protect yourself and your loved ones by making seat belt use a non-negotiable part of every trip.