California lawmakers weigh bill to ban cities from requiring voter ID for local elections

Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert!

SHOULD CITIES BE ALLOWED TO REQUIRE VOTER ID?

California cities would be prohibited from establishing voter ID requirements in local elections, under a proposed law being considered by the Legislature.

SB 1174 is intended to preempt the City of Huntington Beach, which is set to vote this March on whether require that voters present identification before voting in city elections. It would also affect other city government considering implementing such a policy, according to a statement from the bill’s author, Sen. Dave Min, D-Irvine.

California voters are not required to present ID in most circumstances during state elections. However, state law leaves it up to local jurisdictions for local elections.

“Healthy democracies rely on robust access to the polls. That’s why in California we follow the facts when it comes to the overwhelming body of evidence that voter ID laws only subvert voter turnout and create barriers to law abiding voters,” Min said in a statement.

Huntington Beach Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark is a proponent of voter ID requirements, and in an interview with Spectrum News 1 said, “If asking for an ID makes people feel more secure and brings back their faith for our voting system, then why not?”

Min pointed to the success of California’s COVID-19 motivated push for universal mail-in ballots, and that proponents of voter ID laws have not produced any evidence of voter fraud.

“At the same time, we know that voter ID laws can make it more difficult for seniors, people of color, young people, and other historically marginalized groups from participating in our democracy,” he said.

The bill has not yet been assigned to a committee for consideration.

Civil rights groups and others have long been wary of voter ID requirements. A League of Women Voters report said that “not only do these measures disproportionately impact Black, Native, elderly, and student voters, but they also fail to effectively address any real issues related to election integrity — the very thing advocates say these measures are designed to do. “

Min is running to succeed Rep. Katier Porter in Congress. This bill will not affect his race.

DRUG CARTELS = TERRORISTS?

Last year, six people — including a teen mom and her baby son — were executed in Tulare County. Police alleged that the massacre was drug cartel related.

Now, California lawmakers are set to consider a bill that would designate violent drug trafficking gangs as foreign terrorist organizations and direct the California Attorney General’s Office to work with the Legislature to crack down on them.

AB 2644, by Assemblywoman Laurie Davies, R-Laguna Niguel, faces long odds. It’s a Republican bill being introduced in a Democratic supermajority-controlled Legislature, where many Democrats are reluctant to pass laws they perceive as furthering mass incarceration or disproportionately targeting minorities.

In a statement, Davies said,“We can no longer allow our children to die at the hands of these cartels, we must increase all efforts and support sound policy to make a difference in California.”

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“There are some people who are unfit for office at any age. Exhibit A? Donald Trump.”

- Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, via Threads.

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