Socialist Nithya Raman might be familiar with a phrase widely misattributed to Joseph Stalin: “It’s not the people who vote that count, it’s the people who count the votes.”

Not much voting went on in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, so Stalin probably didn’t say that. But the point about counting the vote stands.

On Sunday evening, Raman overtook challenger Spencer Pratt for second place in the race for LA mayor. The trend seems likely to continue.

We would like to report the ballots counted thus far as a percentage of the total cast, but unfortunately, we cannot: ballots are still being accepted, if they were postmarked by June 2.

So no one knows exactly how many ballots there are, because the number keeps growing.

They aren’t being counted at the precinct level, but in a massive, centralized counting facility.

And, of course, they have to get there, first. 

There’s no evidence of fraud. Just proof of a massively flawed design. 

There’s not one other democracy in the world that runs this way. Nor is there another state within the US that does. But California stands by its system.

And why wouldn’t it? Everything about it suits incumbents just fine.

Remember that in 2022, voters who wanted to recall unpopular LA County District Attorney George Gascón handed in 26% more than the required number of signatures.

County officials then reported that 27% of the signatures were invalid — just enough to disqualify the recall.

What a coincidence.

And observers weren’t allowed to watch the signature verification process.

Surely another coincidence.

In the end, Gascón lost his re-election campaign in a landslide, to Nathan Hochman. 

Ultimately, the will of the people prevailed. 

But that margin was so huge — almost 20 points — that there was no room for doubt.

In a close election, we cannot have a process that works this way.

The people defending the system today — because they like the result — will one day be on the receiving end.

Especially if it is a fight among Democrats, who know all the tricks.

Raman, despite being seven points behind on June 2, has now made up that seemingly insurmountable margin. 

If she qualifies for the general election, congratulations and good luck.

One word of advice: remember that there are hundreds of thousands of Pratt voters. 

They could be the swing voters in this election. 

Mock their disappointment at your political peril.