On Monday, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill that prohibits local governments from requiring voters to present identification at the polls. The new law is a response to efforts by some cities, like Huntington Beach, to implement voter ID requirements.
That evening, Elon Musk, CEO of X (formerly Twitter), reacted to the legislation, posting, “Wow, it is now illegal to require voter ID in California! They just made PREVENTING voter fraud against the law.” Musk also criticized Newsom by calling him “The Joker,” an insult he previously used when Newsom outlawed political deepfakes in September.
The legislation comes after Huntington Beach residents passed a voter ID requirement in March, leading to a lawsuit from California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Secretary of State Shirley Weber, both Democrats. They argued that the local law violated state protections for voting rights.
California’s Democratic-controlled Assembly and Senate passed the bill earlier this year, citing concerns that voter ID laws disproportionately impact low-income, elderly, and minority communities. The new law, which takes effect on January 1, 2025, will make California one of 14 states that do not require voter ID for elections.
Despite the signing of the bill, Huntington Beach has not yet responded to the lawsuit. Newsweek reports that California’s Democratic lawmakers have introduced other measures to block voter ID laws in conservative-leaning areas like Shasta County.
