An Orange County Superior Court Judge has dismissed a state lawsuit against Huntington Beach over the city’s voter ID law. Friday’s ruling will allow Surf City to proceed with a measure passed by voters in March, which allows officials to require identification in order to vote, beginning in 2026.
"This is a great day for our City — we have not only successfully defended our City's Voter ID law, but also the rights of our residents from attacks by Governor Newsom and the State. We will not back down and will continue to fight for the City,” said Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark.
According to Judge Nico Dourbetas, Huntington Beach’s measure does not conflict with existing state law. After Huntington Beach voters approved the voter ID measure, state lawmakers passed a bill prohibiting local governments from establishing or enforce voter ID laws. But those rules also won’t take effect until next year.
The State Attorney General’s Office said the judge’s ruling “does not address the merits of the case” and warned of more litigation ahead.