The state of California’s attempt to stop Huntington Beach’s voter ID law lost in court on Monday, Dec. 16. The city said a state judge dismissed a lawsuit from the California attorney general and secretary of state that argued the city mandate violated the state constitution.
Huntington Beach’s voter-approved rule requires a photo ID to vote starting in 2026 for city elections.
Huntington Beach’s Mayor Pat Burns celebrated the ruling by the superior court.
“This is a big loss for the state of California and a major success for the city of Huntington Beach,” Burns wrote on X.
A lower court struck down the lawsuit in November 2024, saying the rule did not violate state law.
This fall, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, signed a statewide ban on requiring voter ID at the polls into law.
Burns said despite the legal victory for his city, he suspects “this fight is not over.”
As of the publishing of this report, the state has not responded to the ruling.
