Huntington Beach's controversial voter ID law is illegal

Jill Replogle covers public corruption, debates over our voting system, culture war battles — and more.

Published Jan 29, 2026 10:59 AM

A man with a white hat, gray shirt, and red shorts drops a white envelope into a yellow and white metal box with large black letters that say "Official Ballot Drop Box."

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Huntington Beach's Voter ID law is DOA: Here's why

The state challenged the issue in court, and is now applauding the victory.

Huntington Beach's controversial voter ID law is illegal and cannot be implemented. That’s the upshot following this week's California Supreme Court decision not to review a lower court ruling striking the law down.

The backstory

Huntington Beach voters approved a measure in 2024 allowing the city to require people to show ID when casting a ballot. That contradicts state law — voters in California are asked to provide ID when they register to vote, but generally not at polling places. The state and a Huntington Beach resident subsequently sued the city.

The city’s argument

The city has tried to argue that it can implement its own rules for citywide elections because it’s a charter city, which gives it more autonomy. Last year, an appeals court rejected that argument and blocked the voter ID law.

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Reactions to the ruling

California leaders applauded the state high court’s refusal to review the case.

“Today’s victory makes one thing crystal clear: No city in our state, charter and non-charter alike, is above the law,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement.

The bigger picture

Voter ID has long been a controversial issue. Supporters say it’s a commonsense measure to prevent voter fraud. Opponents say it’s an unnecessary barrier considering that proven voter fraud is exceedingly rare, despite occasional political stunts meant to expose flaws in the system.

What’s next?

California voters may get a chance to weigh in on the debate this fall if a voter ID initiative makes it to the ballot. The initiative would require people to show a photo ID when they vote, or to include the last four digits of a government issued ID on their mail-in ballots.

How to keep tabs on Huntington Beach

Huntington Beach holds City Council meetings on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 2000 Main St.
You can also watch City Council meetings remotely on HBTV via Channel 3 or online, or via the city’s website. (You can also find videos of previous council meetings there.)
The public comment period happens toward the beginning of meetings.
The city generally posts agendas for City Council meetings on the previous Friday. You can find the agenda on the city’s calendar or sign up there to have agendas sent to your inbox.