In the midst of a presidential election year, the issue of whether voters should be required to present identification when casting their ballots has once again become a contentious topic of debate between the two major political parties.
Last Tuesday (August 27), California lawmakers passed Senate Bill 1174 (SB1174), which prohibits the requirement of voter identification in local elections. This proposal also forbids cities, including charter cities with greater autonomy, from enacting their own voter identification policies.
Democratic State Senator Dave Min, who introduced the SB1174 proposal, argued that voter identification laws suppress voter turnout, strip voters of their electoral rights, create uncertainty and inequality. Hence, he seeks to prevent cities from establishing their own policies.
On the other hand, opponents argue that this undermines the election system. Republican State Assemblyman Bill Essayli stated that some communities implement voter ID checks to safeguard American elections from fraud and illegal immigrant voting influence, “but Democrats like State Senator Dave Min want to continue to allow illegal immigrants to register to vote… in a democratic country, there is nothing more sacred than ensuring the integrity of the vote.”
Despite numerous criticisms, the State Assembly ultimately passed the SB1174 proposal. Min stated in a declaration on the 30th, “I thank my colleagues for their strong support of this proposal, and I hope the governor will sign SB1174 into law later this year.” The reporter sought comments from Governor Newsom on this matter, but no response was received before the deadline.
Min’s proposal mainly targets a local election law passed by voters in Huntington Beach, a charter city in Orange County, during the primary elections.
In the primary, Huntington Beach voters passed a local election law with 53.4% approval, which requires voters to provide identification starting in 2026 for all municipal elections (excluding California and county elections). The city will provide more polling locations and monitor ballot drop-off boxes.
The Attorney General and Secretary of State of California have jointly issued a letter of objection to the election law, stating that it violates state laws.
In California, first-time voters who did not provide a driver’s license number or the last four digits of their social security number at registration must provide identification. However, the Secretary of State allows voters to present student IDs, credit cards, debit cards, or identification provided by businesses.
Under current state law, mail-in ballots without proper identification are considered provisional ballots, and election officials are advised to request identification from voters before counting.
Facing pressure from the state government, officials in Huntington Beach remain firm in upholding the will of voters and local rights. During this period, Min introduced the SB1174 proposal at the Senate level, aiming to overturn city laws through state legislation. He believes the proposal will prevent other cities from enacting similar election laws.
Min said, “This legislation clearly shows that election integrity and voter eligibility requirements are determined solely by the state. We cannot allow 100 different charter cities to establish 100 different sets of voting rules based on ‘fringe conspiracy theories.'”
However, Orange County voters do not agree with this view. A Chinese-American government employee told the reporter that the SB1174 proposal is actually undermining the fundamental structure of the United States, eroding the autonomy held by local governments.
In an election year, the debate between the two parties regarding immigration policies is seen as increasingly politicized. In California, where the issue of illegal immigration is rampant, the state government has enacted a series of policies that favor illegal immigrants.
For example, lawmakers in California passed a proposal on Tuesday to provide up to $150,000 in housing loan assistance to undocumented immigrants from taxpayer-supported state fund projects. Also on the same day, the SB1174 proposal was passed.
In San Diego County, which is heavily affected by the issue of illegal immigration due to its geographical location, County Commissioner Jim Desmond stated that if California eliminates the requirement for voter ID at polling stations, it will open the door for illegal immigrants to vote.
“This is a dangerous move that undermines the fairness of our elections. I need to present identification in my daily life, such as when boarding a plane or renting a car, so why can’t we require identification to participate in voting?” he said. “Our elections should be protected, not compromised.”