California’s SB1174 bill grants residents the right to vote without showing identification. This bill, which has been passed by both the Senate and the Assembly, is now awaiting the final decision of Governor Newsom. Last week, during a press conference, candidate for the 49th Assembly District and Chinese lawyer and community opinion leader Liu Longzhu, expressed his opposition to the bill.
SB1174 prohibits checking voters’ identification during voting, citing concerns that this could affect voters’ enthusiasm. It also prohibits charter cities in California from enacting laws that require voter identification.
The bill was co-authored by three Democratic state legislators. The proponents argue that a healthy democracy relies on robust voting opportunities and that traditional voter identification laws could create barriers for law-abiding voters and have a detrimental impact on voter turnout. Moreover, the California voter registration office already requires voters to provide their driver’s license/state ID number or the last four digits of their social security number for signature verification and allows voters to track their ballots, eliminating the need for additional identification checks.
Liu Longzhu raised questions about this approach: If there is no ID check, how can we know if someone is eligible to vote? How can we ensure that the voter’s identity matches the name on the ballot?
Regarding the argument that checking identification affects voter enthusiasm, Liu Longzhu believes that it is illogical. He further questions: By that logic, should California not enforce age restrictions on alcohol consumption since checking IDs might dampen enthusiasm or should supermarkets not verify IDs when customers pay with credit cards?
Liu Longzhu also vehemently opposes another bill recently passed by both houses of the California legislature, AB1840, which provides undocumented immigrants with $150,000 in down payment assistance for home purchases. The day after the press conference, the bill was vetoed by Governor Newsom based on budgetary concerns.
Liu Longzhu pointed out, “American taxpayers work long hours and sometimes take on second jobs like driving for Uber to make ends meet because of high tax burdens.” There are still numerous issues with the welfare of veterans who have made significant sacrifices, and California is facing a significant budget deficit. Therefore, providing this benefit to undocumented immigrants is not appropriate.
“I am also an immigrant. The government is not here to ‘bake the cake’ but to ‘divide the cake.’ Behind this benefit are the hard-earned dollars of all California taxpayers.” He believes that if the subsidy is not earned through one’s labor, it is essentially coming from the sweat and toil of others; those who contribute should have the right to decide how their money is allocated.
Chris Ching, a guest lecturer of Chinese descent at Columbia University who attended the press conference, suggested that undocumented immigrants should be assisted through proper channels. There are foundations in the US dedicated to helping undocumented immigrants navigate legal pathways to obtain residency and purchase homes to provide stability for their families rather than having politicians solve their housing issues with taxpayer money.
Towards the end of the press conference, Liu Longzhu urged Chinese American voters to actively participate in the voting process. He emphasized that by voting, individuals can ensure their preferred “players” take the field to achieve the desired goals of fighting crime and protecting community safety together. He stated, “By voting, you become a true spectator.”