AG Bonta, SOS Weber Celebrate Appellate Decision Striking Down Huntington Beach’s Voter ID Law

An appellate court just struck down Huntington Beach’s voter ID law. Let that sink in. A lower court upheld the city’s voter-approved voter ID law, but a California appellate court struck it down.

California Fourth District Court of Appeal’s decision holding that Huntington Beach’s voter identification (voter ID) law, Measure A, is unlawful and preempted by state law, reversing a lower court decision issued on April 7, 2025, the AG said.

“No matter where threats to voting rights come from — whether from Washington D.C. or from within California — we will continue holding the line,” bragged California Attorney General Rob Bonta on X.

The decision orders the lower court to direct Huntington Beach to cease Measure A’s implementation and enforcement.

The Orange County Superior Court decision by Judge Nick A. Dourbetas said:

But Bonta opined, “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 municipal elections starting in 2026.”

Californians can’t do anything without an ID – except vote.

Attorney General Rob Bonta added:

“All along, Secretary of State Weber and I have maintained that Huntington Beach’s voter ID policy is unlawful.”

How?

“Voting is the fundamental right from which all other rights flow, and no matter where threats to that right come from — whether from Washington D.C. or from within California — we will continue holding the line.”

“Holding the line” for what?

“California’s elections are already fair, safe, and secure. No city in our state, charter and non-charter alike, can make it more difficult for voters to cast their ballots.”

Aha. There it is – showing ID makes is more difficult for voters to cast their ballots.

Secretary of State Shirley Weber said:

“In 2023, Attorney General Bonta and I warned the City that its charter amendment was preempted by state law.”

Except Superior Court Judge Dourbetas said:

“Under the state Constitution, the ordinances of charter cities supersede state law with respect to ‘municipal affairs’, but state law is supreme with respect to matters of ‘statewide concern.’”

SOS Weber added:

“I will always stand on the side of Californians as part of my commitment to ensure that every eligible person can fully participate in our elections and have a voice in our democracy.”

Neither Bonta or Weber identified how having to show identification to vote makes casting a ballot more difficult while claiming there is no justification for the Huntington Beach Voter ID ordinance.

Does showing identification to purchase a bottle of hooch make it more difficult to make a cocktail? Does showing identification to board a plane make it more difficult to travel?

Following passage of Measure A by Huntington Beach voters, the California Legislature passed Senate Bill 1174 by then-Senator Dave Min (D-Orange County), and Governor Newsom signed it into law. Sen. Min claimed that “An overwhelming body of evidence proves that voter ID laws only subvert voter turnout and create barriers to law abiding voters.”

SB 1174 “prohibits a local government from enacting or enforcing any local requirement that a person must present identification when voting or submitting a ballot at a polling location.”

In 2024, Bonta defended his position in a statement:

“Under both existing law and Senate Bill 1174, all local governments — including charter cities like Huntington Beach — are prohibited from disenfranchising voters at the polls by implementing voter ID requirements.”

Requiring Voter ID is disenfranchising voters according to California’s Attorney General.

How about the state Motor-Voter law? Offering voter registration opportunities at the California Department of Motor Vehicles has caused many Californians to question the integrity of our election system, and most of those would gladly show ID to vote. 

California Gov. Jerry Brown signed The California New Motor Voter Program into law in 2015, which automatically registers all “eligible” California voters to vote when they obtain or renew their driver’s licenses at the Department of Motor Vehicles. What could possibly go wrong?

In 2019, Sen. Pat Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) introduced Senate Bill 57, which would have returned voter registration at DMV offices to a voluntary “opt-in” process, rather than “opt-out.” In April 2018, California officials formally launched the system designed to automatically register those eligible to vote unless they specifically declined.

In December 2018, a DMV spokesman admitted the agency had been warned by the federal government that it had violated the two forms of identification requirement to obtain the federally required Real ID. The California DMV issued 2.3 million Real Identification cards to residents who used just a single form of documentation. That means those who obtained the cards will be required to provide a second proof of their identity, but the DMV said not immediately, but only when their ID cards come up for renewal.

Immediately after this announcement, DMV Director Jean Shiomoto abruptly retired. 

And Democrats killed Bates’ bill.

Now, the California Fourth District Court of Appeal’s decision has killed Voted ID in Huntington Beach.

In November 2024, Huntington Beach City Attorney Michael Gates told the California Globe:

“As a charter city Huntington Beach and Sacramento have been battling for years,” he explained. “Every time they want to take a swipe at Huntington Beach” Bonta and Newsom “ do this dog and pony show” with a press conference. “For them to get knocked down like this I think that is a blackeye.”

Gates expects a protracted battle.  “This is a long, long long fight. There are going to be lots of filing and appeal.”

Will there be another appeal?

Chef Andrew Gruel, a Huntington Beach City Councilman says it’s not over:

It’s not legally dead. https://t.co/tHSIvVUGXI

— Chef Andrew Gruel (@ChefGruel) November 4, 2025