California City Battles Right to Require Voter ID

"The right to vote is the crown jewel of American liberties, and we will not see its luster diminished.”

~ Ronald Reagan.

In 1950, South Carolina became the first state to require identification from voters – although, at the time, it didn’t have to be a photo ID. Since then, the debate about whether Americans should prove citizenship before going to the polls has grown and become very heated. Today, 36 states have such requirements – and California isn’t one of them. But that doesn’t mean all cities in the Golden State approve. Huntington Beach, for example, just won its second challenge against the state, arguing that as a charter city, it has the right to make it mandatory that citizens provide voter ID before deciding the fate of their city.

“This is a huge victory not only for our City but charter cities throughout the State,” Huntington Beach Mayor Pat Burns said in a statement. “By prevailing against both Writs of Mandate, we have not only successfully defended our City’s Voter ID law, but also the constitutional authority of charter cities’ rights from attacks by the Attorney General and the State of California.”

The Battle for Voter ID

California Superior Court Judge Nico Dourbetas ruled that the city’s voter ID requirement does not violate the 14th Amendment. Under the state’s constitution, “the ordinances of charter cities supersede state law with respect to ‘municipal affairs’, but state law is supreme with respect of ‘statewide concern,’” he said. Furthermore, Huntington Beach’s ordinance does “not implicate matters of a statewide concern” since “there is no showing that a voter identification requirement compromises the integrity of a municipal election.”

Citing the Supreme Court case Crawford v. Marion County Election Board, the judge wrote, “Municipal election results do not lack integrity because only residents of a municipality who are eligible to vote participated in the election.”

Some California lawmakers do not agree and vow to continue fighting against those who would require voter ID. The state’s secretary, Shirley Weber, said upholding this ruling “will result in disenfranchising California voters.”

Opponents of voter ID laws claim that the requirement makes it more difficult for vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, people of color, those with disabilities, and women to be able to cast their ballots. Dora Rose, deputy director of the League of Women Voters of California, said forcing eligible voters to obtain government documents “amounts to what we consider to be an unconstitutional poll tax.”

There is some merit in the concern for certain vulnerable groups. Some people can’t drive or easily get to places to obtain specific identification documents, for example. However, it seems that lawmakers are more concerned about how passing voter ID requirements will look, and how it might lend credence to claims of voter fraud, than anything else.

“I hope that my colleagues on the committee will join me in rejecting baseless attempts to erode public trust in California’s elections,” Democrat Gail Pellerin said. She further suggested that elected state representatives who didn’t believe the elections were valid should resign.

Last week, Wisconsin Republicans celebrated as a stronger voter ID law was passed. “Even far lefties want voter ID,” Ric Grenell, who is considering running for governor in 2026, posted on X. “Next up…California!”

The Badger State already requires voters have a valid photo ID to be able to participate in the polls, but now the law is a constitutional amendment. Around 63% of the state’s voters approved the measure.

Americans Want Proof of Citizenship

An October 2024 Gallup Poll showed that 83% of participants want “people who are registering to vote for the first time to provide proof of citizenship,” and 84% support voter ID requirements. Megan Brenan, a Gallup senior editor, wrote in an article on the poll that the participants “broadly support measures to limit fraud and ensure election integrity, including requiring photo identification to vote and providing proof of citizenship when first registering to vote.”

A Rasmussen report from February revealed that 77% of likely US voters believe that requiring a photo ID to vote is a reasonable measure to protect the integrity of elections. This percentage is up from 74% in 2021. Only 17% disagreed with the idea.

Still, with the majority of Americans, according to the polls, wanting voter ID requirements, California lawmakers are dead set against it. On January 1 of this year, the state’s new anti-election integrity law went into effect, prohibiting local governments from requiring citizens to show identification before casting their ballots. Governor Gavin Newsom signed it into law last year.

Opposition to voter ID laws claim that they disproportionately affect minorities and vulnerable groups who have difficulties trying to get IDs because of limited mobilities, lack of documentation, and financial burdens. Some studies have shown this to be the case, that voting by minorities and youth have dropped in areas that require proof of residency. However, as U.S. Constitution.net pointed out, a study by the National Bureau of Economic Research “concluded that voter ID laws do not have a negative impact on voter registration or turnout.”

It seems that one of the biggest concerns is how the public views ID laws, with opponents claiming it will have Americans doubting the integrity of voting. The Heritage Foundation “has documented numerous cases of voter fraud, emphasizing the necessity of strong voter ID requirements to prevent such activities,” U.S. Constitution.net reported.  The publication added:

“In essence, the intended purpose of voter ID laws is rooted in a desire to preserve the electoral process’s integrity and to uphold public confidence in the democratic system. As the United States continues to ensure free and fair elections, voter ID laws represent a significant component of the ongoing efforts to enhance electoral integrity and maintain trust in the republic’s foundational processes.”

California is one of 14 states that still refuses to require voter ID, but their efforts may soon be futile if President Donald Trump’s order is upheld by the courts. The order would require all voters in the US to show proof of citizenship before they can register or vote in any federal election.