A lawsuit filed by California against Huntington Beach’s voter ID measure has been dismissed.
“Today, the Superior Court formally dismissed the State’s entire lawsuit attacking the City’s new local Voter ID law. While we anticipate that this fight is not over, for now, the Court has completely dismissed the State’s case. This is a big loss for the State of California and a major success for the City of Huntington Beach,” the city wrote on X, sharing a statement from Mayor Pat Burns.
City Attorney Michael Gates said in a statement, “Today was another great day in Court, the judge got it right yet again. We are grateful the City rightfully prevailed. This is another black eye for the State of California, and a tremendous win for the City of Huntington Beach and election integrity.”
Huntington Beach voters approved the measure requiring voter ID in March. The law required identification to participate in municipal elections.
After the bill passed, the state of California filed a lawsuit challenging the law’s legality.
“The right to freely cast your vote is the foundation of our democracy and Huntington Beach’s voter ID policy flies in the face of this principle,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said at the time. “State election law already contains robust voter ID requirements with strong protections to prevent voter fraud, while ensuring that every eligible voter can cast their ballot without hardship. Imposing unnecessary obstacles to voter participation disproportionately burdens low-income voters, voters of color, young or elderly voters, and people with disabilities. We’re asking the court to block Huntington Beach’s unlawful step toward suppressing or disenfranchising voters. The California Department of Justice stands ready to defend the voting rights that make our democracy strong.”
In November, Orange County Superior Court Judge Nico Dourbetas granted a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, leading to Bonta saying he would likely file an appeal.