OC Superior Court Judge Greenlights Huntington Beach’s Voter ID Requirements

Huntington Beach tin determination up with requiring elector ID for section elections aft an Orange County Superior Court justice ruled the metropolis isn’t blocked from doing that by authorities predetermination law. 

The determination comes arsenic voters are connected way to elite a metropolis clerk who’s pledged to instrumentality elector ID aft the city’s voters approved a ballot inaugural successful March that added connection to the metropolis charter that allows requirements for elector ID successful section elections. 

[Read: Voter IDs, Noncitizen Voting: Two Orange County Cities Fuel Opposing Debates connected Voting]

It remains unclear however metropolis leaders volition instrumentality requirements for elector ID astatine the ballot box, but they’ve already said it volition not use to anyone who submits a mail-in ballot. 

It’s the city’s archetypal large triumph successful a bid of ongoing lawsuits with the authorities authorities implicit zoning for housing, however books get bought for libraries and different issues, with authorities Attorney General Rob Bonta antecedently saying the city’s elector ID would disenfranchise voters past April. 

[Read: CA Attorney General Sues Huntington Beach Over Voter ID Law]

Governor Gavin Newsom besides signed into instrumentality a prohibition connected elector ID for California cities successful September. 

“A section authorities shall not enact oregon enforce immoderate charter provision, ordinance, oregon regularisation requiring a idiosyncratic to contiguous recognition for the intent of voting oregon submitting a ballot astatine immoderate polling place, ballot center, oregon different determination wherever ballots are formed oregon submitted, unless required by authorities oregon national law,” reads the caller law. “For the intent of this section, ‘local government’ means immoderate charter oregon wide instrumentality city, charter oregon wide instrumentality county, oregon immoderate metropolis and county.”

The instrumentality was authored by State Senator Dave Min, who said it was a nonstop effect to Huntington Beach’s elector ID charter amendment. 

Despite that, OC Superior Court Judge Nico Dourbetas, whose ruling did not notation the caller authorities law, argued that the substance was “not ripe for adjudication.” 

“The City’s Charter is permissive and discretionary successful character, and frankincense presently presents nary struggle with authorities elections law,” Dourbetas wrote. 

To work the full order, click here. 

Dourbetas besides noted that the authorities would person 20 days to record an amended petition, which could support the suit going. 

In a connection connected Friday morning, Huntington Beach Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark and City Attorney Michael Gates praised the ruling. 

“This is simply a large time for our City,” Van Der Mark said. “We person not lone successfully defended our City’s Voter ID law, but besides the rights of our residents from attacks by Governor Newsom and the State. We volition not backmost down and volition proceed to combat for the City.” 

Gates acknowledged the ineligible conflict would apt continue, but thanked the court. 

“While we expect this combat isn’t over, we are pleased with the Court’s just and conscionable valuation of the weakness of the State’s ineligible case,” Gates said. It’s ever an grant to combat for Huntington Beach, for the integrity of our elections systems, and for conscionable outcomes nether the law.”

Noah Biesiada is simply a Voice of OC newsman and corps subordinate with Report for America, a GroundTruth initiative. Contact him astatine nbiesiada@voiceofoc.org oregon connected Twitter @NBiesiada.

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