Huntington Beach scores early legal victory in its voter ID battle

Topline:

Let's start with the backstory: Huntington Beach voters recently approved a measure requiring people to show ID when casting a ballot. The measure also calls for increased monitoring of ballot drop boxes and increase voting locations. Supporters say the steps ensure that only registered voters are casting ballots and that, combined, the measures will restore voter trust in the election process.

So then what happened? The state filed suit to block implementation of the new measure, saying it violated the law. Critics also say voter ID requirements disproportionately affect low income people and non-white voters, and argue that there are plenty of voting safeguards already in place.

Why now: On Friday, a judge sided with Huntington Beach, and the city released a statement vowing to move forward with the new slate of voting measures:

What's next: State Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office released a statement to the Associated Press that the Friday decision “does not address the merits of the case” and predicted further legal action. “We continue to believe that Huntington Beach’s voter ID policy clearly conflicts with state law, and will respond appropriately in court." Bonta also released a statement on Sunday confirming that the battle is far from over: "... all local governments — including charter cities like Huntington Beach — are prohibited from disenfranchising voters at the polls by implementing voter ID requirements," he said, and added that the state remains "confident in the strength of our case.”