California Judge Reverses Ruling on Huntington Beach Voter ID Law, Allows Case to Continue
A California judge reversed his dismissal of a challenge to Huntington Beach’s voter ID law Thursday after a state appeals court said he had to change his ruling.
Last March, Huntington Beach voters approved an initiative that would give city officials the power to enact a voter ID requirement for local elections. The measure is set to take effect ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) and Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber (D) quickly filed a lawsuit in Orange County challenging the measure, arguing it conflicted with state election law.
In September, while litigation was ongoing, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed a law banning local governments from enacting voter ID requirements. This gave the state officials another argument to add to their legal arsenal.
Orange County Judge Nico Dourbetas dismissed the lawsuit in November without issuing a final order, stating it was not “ripe for adjudication,” meaning that the issue was not yet ready for a court to decide.
He ruled in favor of Huntington Beach, finding that because the officials can’t enact a voter ID requirement until 2026, it would be impossible to know now whether the policy would conflict with state law.
The state officials appealed this dismissal, and last week, the California Court of Appeal said this was not a valid reason to decline to hear the case on its merits, telling Dourbetas to issue a new decision or provide formal justification as to why he wouldn’t do so.
On Thursday, Dourbetas followed the court’s guidance, vacating his previous dismissal and scheduling a hearing in the case for April 3.
He said that because Newsom signed a new law in September regarding voter ID mandates, “there is a ripe justiciable controversy,” and the case can continue to be litigated.
Bonta said in a statement that it was “a good day” and that “[a]ll along, Secretary of State Weber and I have asserted that it is not too early to bring our lawsuit.”
Weber added that with Thursday’s order, “we are one step closer in our effort to protect each eligible Californian’s right to vote.”
Voter ID laws could disenfranchise numerous groups, especially people of color, who are significantly less likely to have a valid, non-expired driver’s license than their white counterparts.
These requirements also affect married and divorced women whose last name on their ID may not match the name on their voter registration form, as well as college students, people with disabilities and elderly voters.
The City of Huntington Beach didn’t respond to a request for comment Monday afternoon.