The Poynter Institute Menu Donate State Editions * California * Florida * Iowa * Michigan * New Hampshire * New York * North Carolina * Pennsylvania * Texas * West Virginia * Wisconsin Issues * All Issues * Online hoaxes * Coronavirus * Health Care * Immigration * Extremism * Taxes * Marijuana * Environment * Crime * Guns * Foreign Policy * LGBTQ+ People * Joe Biden * Kamala Harris * Donald Trump * Mitch McConnell * Hakeem Jeffries * Ron DeSantis Media * PunditFact * Tucker Carlson * Sean Hannity * Rachel Maddow * Bloggers * PolitiFact Videos Campaigns * 2024 Elections Truth-o-Meter * True * Mostly True * Half True * Mostly False * False * Pants on Fire Promises * Biden Promise Tracker * Trump-O-Meter * Obameter * Latest Promises About Us * Our Process * Our Staff * En Español * Who pays for PolitiFact? * Advertise with Us * Suggest a Fact-check * Corrections and Updates * Newsletters Donate #### Follow us The Facts Newsletter Sign up English Español ### Stand up for the facts! Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy. We need your help. More Info ### I would like to contribute One Time Monthly Yearly Join Now ![](\\" ![](\\" Viral image stated on September 15, 2021 in an Instagram post: Says a CNN broadcast shows “400,000 votes just disappeared” in the California recall election. ![\\"true\\"](\\" false/33efdb6633e5e2fdc2d4e2f63383a1e0.jpg.\\") ![\\"false\\"](\\" false.jpg\\") * Elections * Facebook Fact-checks * California * Viral image ![\\"Ciara](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke September 15, 2021 # Human error explains votes that ‘disappeared’ in CNN coverage of California recall #### If Your Time is short * Graphics in a CNN broadcast about the California recall election showed a drop of about 350,000 votes in favor of recalling Gov. Gavin Newsom. Edison Research, a polling firm that provides election data to CNN among other news organizations, said that the votes were erroneously reported and then corrected. * \"The vote ‘drop’ was taking out the error,\" the firm’s executive vice president said. See the sources for this fact-check CNN among other news organizations projected that California Gov. Gavin Newsom will hold onto his job after an election to decide whether he should be recalled. According to unofficial election results posted on California’s secretary of state website, nearly 64% of voters opposed recalling Newsom compared with about 36% who voted yes. Those numbers will change before the results are certified on Oct. 22 as more mail-in and provisional ballots are tallied, but Newsom’s lead wasn’t in question. Still, unfounded claims of election fraud loomed as people headed to the polls on Sept. 14. In one video from that evening that’s being shared on social media, a man recorded his television, which was tuned to CNN. The screen shows a graphic that says: \"Should Gov. Newsom be recalled?\" The graphic then reflected that 4,530,002 \"no\" votes had been counted — 67.1% of the votes tallied by that point — and 2,225,915 \"yes\" votes had been counted, or 32.9%. In the bottom right corner of the graphic it says \"52% estimated vote,\" meaning that these totals only account for about half of all ballots cast in the race. The man recording the screen then zooms in on a similar, smaller graphic with the same information in the bottom right corner of the screen. \"2.25 — watch,\" he says. The graphic then changes and some of the numbers change. The \"yes\" votes go from 2,225,915 to 1,874,206, and from 32.9% of the vote to 29.3% of the vote. The number of \"no\" votes, meanwhile, don’t change, and the percentage of \"no\" votes increases to 70.7%. The estimated vote changed from 52% to 49%. \"1.874,\" the man says. \"Where did they go? 400,000 votes just disappeared? Wow.\" #### Featured Fact-check ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on July 26, 2024 in a Facebook post “Netflix stock tumbles almost 40%” after the company donated to Kamala Harris’ campaign. ![\\"true\\"](\\" false/33efdb6633e5e2fdc2d4e2f63383a1e0.jpg.\\") ![\\"false\\"](\\" false.jpg\\") By Mia Penner • July 30, 2024 The man wasn’t seeing things, and the recording of the CNN broadcast is authentic. But the polling firm that provides election data to CNN and other news organizations told us that what that man witnessed was a mistake being corrected. This post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.) CNN declined to comment for this story. But it got those numbers from Edison Research, a polling firm that provides elections data to CNN among other news organizations. Rob Farbman, the firm’s executive vice president, told PolitiFact that Edison relies on different sources including state data and reporters hired to collect vote tallies in person at county elections offices. A reporter hired by Edison who was stationed at an office in Santa Clara County called the firm and accidentally said that about 350,000 votes there were in favor of recalling Newsom. In reality, that number reflected all tallied votes in that county, no and yes votes combined. The mistake resulted in CNN wrongly reporting that there were about 350,000 extra votes to recall Newsom. \"This error was entered at 11:19pm ET and corrected 2 minutes later at 11:21pm ET,\" Farbman said in an email. The vote ‘drop’ was taking out the error and putting in the vote being reported by Santa Clara County.\" The estimated vote changed from 52% to 49% because when the correction was made, \"the total number of votes tabulated declined by 350,000 votes and estimated percent of the total vote currently tabulated declined,\" he said. But those votes weren’t surreptitiously scrubbed from the election. They were mistakenly entered, and then removed. We rate claims that these votes disappeared fraudulently False. #### Read About Our Process The Principles of the Truth-O-Meter ### Our Sources Instagram post, Sept. 15, 2021 CNN, Gavin Newsom holds onto his job as California governor, CNN projects, Sept. 15, 2021 CNN, California Gov. Gavin Newsom will remain in office, Sept. 15, 2021 The New York Times, California recall election results, updated Sept. 15, 2021 The Washington Post, California governor recall election: Voters reject recall of Gavin Newsom, updated Sept. 15, 2021 California Secretary of State, Gubernatorial recall election results, Sept. 14, 2021 Email interview with Rob Farbman, executive vice president, Edison Research, Sept. 15, 2021 ## Browse the Truth-O-Meter ### More by Ciara O\'Rourke slide 4 to 6 of 15 ![](\\" ![](\\" Viral image stated on July 12, 2024 in an Instagram post: “Police found human remains and evidence of cannibalism” at Oprah Winfrey’s home. ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Ciara O\'Rourke • August 7, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on August 3, 2024 in a Facebook post: “Michael Jordan rejects $400 million Disney offer, stating, ‘I do not collaborate with companies aligned with woke ideologies.’” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • August 7, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Viral image stated on July 31, 2024 in a Facebook post: “Scientists at Exeter University have reconstructed this 3D model of how Moses might have looked.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • August 7, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Viral image stated on August 17, 2024 in a Facebook post: Video shows former President Donald Trump thought he was in North Carolina while he spoke in Pennsylvania. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • August 22, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Viral image stated on August 19, 2024 in a Threads post: “PA Gov Josh Shapiro isn’t attending the DNC at all.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • August 21, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Viral image stated on August 19, 2024 in a Facebook post: “Travis Kelce kneels during national anthem fined $10 million and thrown out of the game.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • August 21, 2024 ![](\\" black/4590875651af69b2c789ceab409664dd.jpg\\") ![](\\" black/72988380e8c8bd188dc360d11552e4a0.jpg\\") X posts stated on August 19, 2024 in an X post: Democrats dyed the “Chicago River red to celebrate abortion.” ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Ciara O\'Rourke • August 20, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on August 14, 2024 in a Facebook post: Actor Mel Gibson told talk show host Oprah Winfrey, “You sell children!” ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Ciara O\'Rourke • August 19, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Viral image stated on August 7, 2024 in an Instagram post: Says Elon Musk posted on X, “Any harassment of Trump supporters using the term ‘weird’ will be punished.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • August 15, 2024 ![](\\" logo-black-01/b6cedac93f6e57c68ecc025e5ec29d57.jpg\\") ![](\\" logo-black-01/438dbf066033f99de07598cbcc77ddcb.jpg\\") Threads posts stated on August 10, 2024 in a Threads post: Video shows former President Donald Trump freezing up. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • August 14, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Viral image stated on August 8, 2024 in a Facebook post: Says Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz had his stomach pumped “after overingesting horse semen.” ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Ciara O\'Rourke • August 9, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Viral image stated on August 6, 2024 in a Threads post: Photo shows former President Donald Trump “asleep at the 2017 NATO summit.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • August 9, 2024 ![](\\" logo-black-01/b6cedac93f6e57c68ecc025e5ec29d57.jpg\\") ![](\\" logo-black-01/438dbf066033f99de07598cbcc77ddcb.jpg\\") Threads posts stated on August 2, 2024 in a Threads post: “Mike Tyson says he’s willing to box Olympic DUDE with all proceeds to go to a battered women’s charity.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • August 9, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on August 5, 2024 in a Facebook post: “Caitlin Clark declines $1 million offer from ABC to appear on ‘The View.’” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • August 9, 2024 ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/322c808c00e73c217d17772ddd5a0eb5.jpg\\") ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/8b142c91ebe468a84a192e6df2b7b994.jpg\\") Instagram posts stated on August 2, 2024 in an Instagram post: President Joe Biden walked “onto an empty airplane for no reason.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • August 7, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Viral image stated on July 12, 2024 in an Instagram post: “Police found human remains and evidence of cannibalism” at Oprah Winfrey’s home. ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Ciara O\'Rourke • August 7, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on August 3, 2024 in a Facebook post: “Michael Jordan rejects $400 million Disney offer, stating, ‘I do not collaborate with companies aligned with woke ideologies.’” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • August 7, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Viral image stated on July 31, 2024 in a Facebook post: “Scientists at Exeter University have reconstructed this 3D model of how Moses might have looked.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • August 7, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Viral image stated on August 17, 2024 in a Facebook post: Video shows former President Donald Trump thought he was in North Carolina while he spoke in Pennsylvania. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • August 22, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Viral image stated on August 19, 2024 in a Threads post: “PA Gov Josh Shapiro isn’t attending the DNC at all.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • August 21, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Viral image stated on August 19, 2024 in a Facebook post: “Travis Kelce kneels during national anthem fined $10 million and thrown out of the game.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • August 21, 2024 ### Human error explains votes that ‘disappeared’ in CNN coverage of California recall * ![](\\" ![](\\" Instagram posts stated on August 22, 2024 in an Instagram post: Maxine Waters told her followers on X not to follow Omar Navarro because he is a “Hispanic Republican.” ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Sofia Ahmed • August 23, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Sam Brown stated on August 9, 2024 in an X post: Jacky Rosen “said ending taxes on tips would ‘hurt working Nevada families.’” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Seth A. Richardson • August 23, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Elissa Slotkin stated on August 9, 2024 in Meta ad: Mike Rogers “left Michigan to trade on his D.C. connections, helping Chinese tech companies get access to the U.S.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Caleb McCullough • August 23, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump stated on August 21, 2024 in a Truth Social post: “The Harris-Biden Administration has been caught fraudulently manipulating Job Statistics.” ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Louis Jacobson • August 23, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" X posts stated on August 18, 2024 in X posts: Pallets of bricks were left all over the streets of Chicago before the Democratic National Convention. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Sofia Ahmed • August 23, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Eric Hovde stated on August 13, 2024 in Public appearance: Says U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin “has done absolutely nothing” about the fentanyl crisis. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Laura Schulte • August 22, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Social Media stated on August 19, 2024 in in social media posts: Videos show Kamala Harris intoxicated. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Jeff Cercone • August 22, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Viral image stated on August 17, 2024 in a Facebook post: Video shows former President Donald Trump thought he was in North Carolina while he spoke in Pennsylvania. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • August 22, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Threads posts stated on August 19, 2024 in Threads posts: The Democratic National Convention was “nearly empty” during its first day. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Sofia Ahmed • August 22, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" J.D. Vance stated on August 16, 2024 in a post on X: “Kamala Harris wants to give $25,000 to illegal aliens to buy American homes.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Madison Czopek • August 22, 2024 Load more ### Support independent fact-checking. Become a member! In a world of wild talk and fake news, help us stand up for the facts. Sign me up #### Offices District of Columbia 1800 I Street NW Washington, DC 20006 Florida 801 3rd St. S St. Petersburg, FL 33701 727-821-9494 #### People * Joe Biden * Kamala Harris * Donald Trump * Mitch McConnell * Hakeem Jeffries * Ron DeSantis #### State Editions * California * Florida * Iowa * Michigan * New Hampshire * New York * North Carolina * Pennsylvania * Texas * West Virginia * Wisconsin #### About Us * Our Process * Our Staff * En Español * Who pays for PolitiFact? * Advertise with Us * Corrections and Updates * Newsletters #### RSS Feeds * Recent Articles and Fact-checks * Recent Fact-checks Suggest a Fact-check #### Follow us The Facts Newsletter Sign up Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Copyright ©All Rights Reserved Poynter Institute 2020, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization ![\\"\\"](\\" ✕ * * *
Says a CNN broadcast shows 400000 votes just disappeared in the California recall election