California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D., responded to a recent decision by the California Fourth District Court of Appeal regarding Huntington Beach’s voter identification law, known as Measure A. The appellate court found that Measure A is unlawful and preempted by state law, overturning a previous ruling from April 7, 2025. The court ordered Huntington Beach to stop implementing and enforcing the measure.
Measure A would have amended the city’s charter to require voter identification at polling places for municipal elections beginning in 2026. According to the press release, there was no evidence presented that fraudulent voting occurs regularly in Huntington Beach or has affected election outcomes.
Attorney General Rob Bonta stated: “All along, Secretary of State Weber and I have maintained that Huntington Beach’s voter ID policy is unlawful. When the lower court disagreed, we moved quickly to file an appeal. Now, the California Fourth District Court of Appeal has sided with us,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Voting is the fundamental right from which all other rights flow, and no matter where threats to that right come from— whether from Washington D.C. or from within California— we will continue holding the line. California’s elections are already fair, safe, and secure. No city in our state, charter and non-charter alike, can make it more difficult for voters to cast their ballots. I want to thank every member of my office who played a role in making today’s outcome possible.”
Secretary of State Shirley Weber added: “Today’s decision rejecting the City of Huntington Beach’s attempt to implement illegal voter identification requirements is a victory for California voters. In 2023, Attorney General Bonta and I warned the City that its charter amendment was preempted by state law — and their steadfast refusal has squandered taxpayer dollars,” said Secretary of State Shirley Weber. “I will always stand on the side of Californians as part of my commitment to ensure that every eligible person can fully participate in our elections and have a voice in our democracy.”
The full text of today’s appellate decision is available online.
