Attorney General Bonta, Secretary of State Weber: We Will Appeal Huntington Beach Voter ID Court Decision

SACRAMENTO — California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D. today announced that they will be appealing the Orange County Superior Court’s recent decision concerning Huntington Beach’s voter identification (voter ID) law, Measure A. Without citing any evidence that fraudulent voting occurs with any regularity in the city or has ever compromised the outcome of a municipal election, Measure A amended the city’s charter to purportedly allow the city to impose voter ID requirements at the polls for all municipal elections starting in 2026. Applicants to register to vote in California are already required to verify their identity during the registration process.  

“Secretary of State Weber and I continue to believe that Huntington Beach’s voter ID policy is unlawful. That’s why, today, we are announcing our intention to appeal the Orange County Superior Court’s decision holding that it is too early to bring our lawsuit,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “With preparations for the 2026 elections beginning late next year, we want and need a state appellate court to weigh in expeditiously. When that happens, we are confident that we will prevail.”  

“Measure A is a solution in search of a problem. In California, we champion people’s voices, we do not suppress them. We encourage participation in our democracy, we do not burden it,” said Secretary of State Shirley Weber. “We will continue to challenge the city's action which violates state law." 

Last month, on November 15, 2024, the Orange County Superior Court concluded that the state’s lawsuit against Huntington Beach was “not ripe for adjudication” because Measure A “is permissive and discretionary in character, and thus currently presents no conflict with state elections law.” The decision also allowed Attorney General Bonta and Secretary of State Weber 20 days to file an amended petition, and thus the court did not enter judgment.

Today, Attorney General Bonta and Secretary of State Weber filed a Request for Entry of Judgment. In that filing, Attorney General Bonta and Secretary of State Weber write that they:  

• Have elected not to file an amended complaint by the time allotted. 
• Respectfully disagree with the court’s November 15, 2024 order and seek an appealable judgment as soon as possible, to give the parties the necessary time to resolve the issues presented by this matter before the planning for the 2026 elections begins. 
• Have informed Huntington Beach about the request for an appealable judgment.  

A copy of the Request for Entry of Judgment can be found here.