California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill Sunday that will prevent local governments from requiring photo identification to vote, surpassing the state’s existing voting regulations.
The law, SB 1174, prohibits any local government from mandating ID for voting at polling places, a practice long upheld in California, one of 14 Democrat-led states where voters can cast ballots without needing to show ID. While voters are verified against voter rolls at polling places, those who vote by mail must sign their ballot envelopes, with signatures matched to voter registration records.
Huntington Beach, a rare conservative stronghold in the state, had sought to introduce photo ID requirements after a ballot initiative passed in March. However, the new law blocks such measures. SB 1174, introduced by state Sen. Dave Min, asserts that voter ID laws have historically been used to disenfranchise marginalized groups, though the claim remains a point of contention.
The law follows another signed measure that limits local bans on vote-counting machines and reinforces regulations around election data.
