by Natalia Mittelstadt
The state of California is sue the town of Huntington Beach over its recent voter ID law passed by voters last month, saying it violates state law, another pushback against a conservative town in a liberal state.
Both Huntington Beach and Shasta County have adopted measures in their jurisdictions to ensure election integrity, but California’s executive branch and state legislature – both backed by far-left donors – have shown their displeasure by responding to lawsuits and legislation aimed at countering them.
On Monday, California Attorney General Rob Bonta (no) and Secretary of State Shirley Weber (no) sued Huntington Beach after voters last month approved a ballot measure that allows the city to require voter ID in local elections starting in 2026. The state requires voters provide a form of identification only when they vote for the first time.
“The right to freely cast a ballot is a cornerstone of our democracy, and Huntington Beach’s voter ID policy violates that principle.” – Bonta said in a statement on Monday. “State election law already includes robust voter identification requirements along with strong safeguards to prevent voter fraud while ensuring that every eligible voter can cast a ballot without difficulty.”
“Imposing unnecessary barriers to voter participation disproportionately burdens low-income voters, voters of color, voters teenage and aged, and people with disabilities. “We are asking the court to block Huntington Beach’s unlawful move to suppress or disenfranchise voters,” he added. he continued.
In September before The Huntington Beach City Council voted 4-3 in October to place voter ID amendments on the main ballot for the city, attorney general and California secretary of state sent a letter warning about the consequences of implementing the proposal.
The said the letter the proposed amendment “contradicts state law and would only serve to limit voter participation in elections without providing any discernible local benefit” and that if the city included a voter ID amendment on the ballot, “we are prepared to take appropriate action to ensure voters’ rights are protected and state election laws are enforced.”
After the City Council voted to place the amendment on the ballot, former Huntington Beach planning commissioner Mark Bixby sued on the amendment, claiming that it “violates the constitutional right to vote and state law.”
In December 2023, an Orange County judge refused to block resolution on the ballot, which ruled that Bixby wanted “the judiciary to serve as an auditor of what the electorate might consider for the purported purpose of preserving democracy.” However, “if this measure were to be adopted and its implementation raised doubts as to its constitutionality, it would be appropriate at this point to subject it to judicial review”, wrote the judge.
After an unsuccessful trial, he became a Democratic state senator in February presented the bill in the Legislature that would prevent local governments from implementing voter identification starting in 2026.
After the California attorney general and secretary of state filed a lawsuit against Huntington Beach, the city attorney said Michael Gates in a statement: “The Attorney General’s press release that the city’s voter ID requirements violate state law is inconsistent with Senator David Mina’s (D-Irvine) new bill to make Huntington Beach Voter ID illegal.” This glaring inconsistency speaks volumes.”
“The City of Huntington Beach voter ID and other election measures approved by voters on March 5 to increase voter turnout by creating at least 20 additional polling places and monitoring ballot drop boxes are not only permissible, but the city government has provisions for them in the California Constitution, Article XI , Section 5(b), for local elections. The residents of Huntington Beach have made their voices clear on this issue, and the residents’ decision on election integrity measures made on March 5 is final.” Goals added.
Huntington Beach is too sued by the state due to the rejection of a housing plan that would have required the city to allocate approximately 13,400 additional apartments. The state says the city does breaking state law not changing the housing component of its overall plans, as assessed by the Southern California Association of Governments in 2021.
City almost 200,000 people it has about 54,000 registered Republicans and 41,000 Democrats. California also battled with conservative Shasta County over manual vote counting. This county reports In the state, 51 percent of voters registered as Republicans where only about 30 percent of the adult population identify as Republicans.
Last year, The Shasta County Board of Supervisors voted terminated its contract with Dominion over concerns about voting machines and later decided to switch to hand-counting all elections.
After Shasta County decided to end its contract with Dominion, the state passed a law in October, which prevents counties from canceling the contract for the current voting system before signing a recent one that wins state approval.
Bonta sent a letter to the Board of Supervisors last year, before the recent law was passed, writing that if the county “does not contract with a certified electronic voting system provider well in advance of the March 2024 statewide primary or any election preceding it,” then it “would likely mean Shasta County’s violation of numerous federal and state laws.”
County counting ballots using machines both in the March primaries this year and in the November elections last year.
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Natalia Mittelstadt is a reporter for Just the News.
“California Attorney General Rob Bonta” photo by Rob Bonta. “California Secretary of State Shirley Weber” photo by California Secretary of State Shirley Weber. “Huntington Beach Pier” cover photo by Huntington Beach City Government.
