This week, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill that makes it illegal for local governments to require photo ID to vote, which is more than what the state requires.
California is one of only 14 Democrat-run states that doesn’t need ID to vote, even though many other states do. At voting places, voters are checked against lists of registered voters without needing to show any other proof. For mail-in votes, voters must include their signatures on the envelopes, which are then checked by a machine against the signatures on file in voter registration records.
After a poll measure passed in March, the City of Huntington Beach, which is one of the last conservative strongholds in the state and often fights against Democratic policies, planned to require photo ID for voting in 2024.
According to SB 1174, the new law says that local governments can’t make or enforce any charter or regulation that says someone has to show ID in order to vote or turn in a ballot at any polling place, vote center, or other place where ballots are cast or turned in, as stated.
The law also says, without any proof, that “Voter identification rules have generally been used to disenfranchise low-income voters, voters of color, voters with disabilities, and senior voters.”
Politico wrote about the new rule and another one that says local governments can’t stop people from using vote-counting machines:
“The legislation from Orange County Democrat state Sen. Dave Min was in reaction to the controversial election measure that voters in Huntington Beach passed this year that requires people to show photo ID at the polls.”
“Lawmaker Steve Bradford from the state of California signed it into law on Wednesday. It makes it clearer how to keep records for safe elections data and gives the secretary of state more control over poll books and other voting systems used in local elections.”
“Recently, ultraconservative local leaders in Shasta County tried and failed to get rid of electronic voting machines, claiming unfounded fears of voter fraud. They used reasons that were similar to what former President Donald Trump said about voting machines after the 2020 election.”
California will definitely vote for Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential election. However, there are several close races in California for Congress that could have a big effect on the balance of power in Washington.
