California: Newsom signs law banning ID requirement for voters
This is the Democratic Party's response to a rule passed by a vote of Huntington Beach residents to force people who go to the polls in municipal elections to present a valid document to prove their identity.
Gavin Newsom, during a speech in a file photo.
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a law banning local governments from requiring a valid ID card to vote.
The Democratic Party brought out all its artillery against the Huntington Beach measure
This is the Golden State Democrats' response to a ballot initiative approved by voters in Huntington Beach, a coastal city. Last March, 53.4% of residents voted in favor of requiring anyone who wants to vote in municipal elections to show a valid identity card.
However, it is an initiative that contravenes state law, which is why California Attorney General, Rob Bonta and the secretary of state, also a Democrat Shirley Weber, brought the new rule before the courts after its approval to prevent officials from enforcing it.
Along with the lawsuit, Democratic state senator David Min introduced a bill to ban local governments from being able to impose voter ID requirements. The measure was passed quickly in August by the California Legislature and made its way to Newsom's desk, where he affixed his signature.
The Democratic argument against voter ID
In a statement justifying his complaint, Bonta laid out the classic Blue Party argument against voter ID:
"The right to freely cast your vote is the foundation of our democracy and Huntington Beach’s voter ID policy flies in the face of this principle. State election law already contains robust voter ID requirements with strong protections to prevent voter fraud, while ensuring that every eligible voter can cast their ballot without hardship. Imposing unnecessary obstacles to voter participation disproportionately burdens low-income voters, voters of color, young or elderly voters, and people with disabilities."
"They just made preventing voter fraud illegal"
Conversely, numerous voices criticized the initiative pointing out, like Elon Musk, that Democrats "just made PREVENTING voter fraud illegal". Many users on social media were quick to point to acts where ID is required such as getting on a plane, cashing a check, getting married... lamenting that it is not to ensure the integrity of elections.
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