California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber have responded to the Orange County Superior Court's decision to vacate its previous rulings on Huntington Beach's Measure A. This measure aimed to amend the city's charter, potentially allowing voting restrictions not permitted by state law for municipal elections starting in 2026.
Initially, on November 15, 2024, the court determined that the state's lawsuit against Huntington Beach was "not ripe for adjudication," citing that Measure A was "permissive and discretionary in character" and did not currently conflict with state election laws. Consequently, the lawsuit was dismissed on December 16, 2024. However, the court has now reversed its stance, declaring a "ripe justiciable controversy" exists and scheduled a hearing for April 3, 2025.
Attorney General Rob Bonta expressed satisfaction with this development: “Today is a good day. Our lawsuit against Huntington Beach can officially continue.” He noted that both he and Secretary of State Weber believed it was timely to pursue their legal action. The California Fourth District Court of Appeal had previously indicated agreement with this view and prompted the Orange County Superior Court to reconsider its position.
Secretary of State Shirley Weber remarked on the progress made towards safeguarding voting rights: “With today’s order, we are one step closer in our effort to protect each eligible Californian’s right to vote.”
The court's order is available for public access.