(ProsperNews.net) – California Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed a new bill that prevents local governments from requiring voters to show photo identification at the polls, a move aimed at preserving the state’s more relaxed voting requirements. California, one of 14 states where voter ID is not required, already has a system where voters are checked against registration rolls without needing additional proof at polling places. Mail-in ballots, however, require a signature that is verified against voter registration records.
This new law, SB 1174, was prompted by Huntington Beach’s attempt to pass a local initiative that would have required photo ID for voting starting in 2024. The conservative city has often been at odds with the state’s more liberal policies. The law makes it clear that local governments cannot impose ID requirements that exceed state regulations.
The law is part of a broader effort to counter what proponents say is voter suppression. It asserts that voter ID laws have historically been used to disenfranchise marginalized groups, including low-income individuals, voters of color, people with disabilities, and seniors. Critics of voter ID laws argue that they create unnecessary barriers to voting.
In addition to SB 1174, another recently passed bill prohibits local authorities from banning vote-counting machines, a response to unfounded claims of voter fraud related to voting technology, which gained attention following the 2020 presidential election.
California is widely expected to vote Democratic in the upcoming presidential election, but some close congressional races could influence the balance of power in Washington, making the issue of voting regulations especially significant.
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