California officials are suing the coastal city of Huntington Beach over a voter ID amendment it passed last month with the support of a majority of residents.
The lawsuit, filed by California Attorney General Rob Bonta and California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, challenges Huntington Beach’s voter ID law, Measure A, which amends the city’s charter to allow voter ID requirements by 2026.
In their lawsuit, Bonta and Weber argued that the city’s voter ID law “unlawfully conflicts with and is preempted by state law.”
Waves roll over the Huntington Beach Pier, the epicenter of the city’s beach culture, in Huntington Beach, California. on February 22, 2024. (Rick Loomis for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
“The right to freely cast your vote is the foundation of our democracy and Huntington Beach’s voter ID policy runs counter to this principle,” Bonta said in a statement.
He argued that state elections already contain “robust voter ID requirements with strong protections to prevent voter fraud.” He said the new requirements would disproportionately burden “low-income voters, voters of color, young or elderly voters, and people with disabilities.”
The City Council placed the voter ID measure on the March ballot after making a series of hotly contested decisions on issues ranging from flag-waving to removing books from the children’s section of the public library over concerns about appropriateness of the materials. The measures were initiated by a majority of the politically conservative council, which took office in 2022, and have drawn dozens of residents from all sides to city meetings.
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The measure, which would allow the city to require voter ID, increase in-person voting sites and monitor polls in local elections, won at the polls in March by 53%, county election data show.
City Attorney Michael Gates said the amendment approved by voters last month is “not only permissible” but supported by the state constitution.
“The people of Huntington Beach have made their voice clear on this issue and the people’s decision on the March 5 ballot measures for election integrity is final,” Gates said in a statement. “To that end, the city will vigorously uphold and defend the will of the people.”
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, left, Secretary of State Shirley Weber, answers questions after announcing a lawsuit to protect voters’ rights at a news conference at the California Department of Justice in Los Angeles on Monday April 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Damián Dovarganes)
Bonta, a Democrat, said it was not immediately clear how the measure would be implemented. In California, voters can cast their ballots in person and also by returning them to mailboxes or by mail.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Bonta’s office and the Orange County Registrar of Voters for additional comment.
Huntington Beach, nicknamed “Surf City USA” and known for its picturesque coastline, has a history of clashing with state officials over what actions it can take under its municipal charter on issues ranging from immigration to housing.
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While Democrats outnumber Republicans in Orange County, the GOP dominates in Huntington Beach with nearly 54,000 registered voters to 41,000 Democrats, county data shows.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
