California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber have once again approached the California Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division Three, regarding Huntington Beach's voter ID law, Measure A. This follows a decision by the Orange County Superior Court on April 7, which denied the state's petition for writ of mandate. The state argues that Measure A conflicts with state law.
Attorney General Bonta expressed his disagreement with the lower court's decision, stating: "Secretary of State Weber and I continue to believe that the Orange County Superior Court got it wrong. As a result, we’re once again asking the California Fourth District Court of Appeal to step in." He emphasized that California's elections are already secure and highlighted previous reservations expressed by the appellate court about Huntington Beach's argument.
Secretary of State Weber criticized Huntington Beach’s efforts as violating state law and described them as part of a broader pattern of voter suppression. She stated: "The City's unapologetic efforts to impose voter identification requirements in its local elections clearly violate state law."
Earlier this year, on February 13, Bonta and Weber sought relief from the appellate court to address the case comprehensively rather than focusing solely on ripeness. Subsequently, an appellate court panel issued an order expressing concerns about both the lower court's conclusions and Huntington Beach's arguments.
In their recent filing, Bonta and Weber assert that appellate intervention is crucial due to the statewide significance of this issue. They argue it has important implications for upcoming elections and highlights constitutional questions regarding powers between charter cities and the state.