Shasta County measure that sought to eliminate most mail-in voting violates state law, judge rules

This is read by an automated voice.Please report any issues or inconsistencies here.

See more from the L.A.Times in Google Search.

Set us as preferred A Northern California judge on Monday permanently barred Shasta County from implementing a voter-approved initiative that sought to dramatically reshape voting in the conservative stronghold.Measure B, which was passed by 56% of voters in the June primary, sought to require hand-counted ballots, eliminate most mail-in voting and require residents to present government-issued photo identification to cast a ballot on election day.California Atty.

Gen.Rob Bonta and Secretary of State Shirley Weber, the state’s top elections official, sued Shasta County days after the primary, arguing that Measure B violates state election laws.

Shasta County Superior Court Judge Benjamin Hanna temporarily blocked the measure in August.In his final ruling Monday, Hanna wrote that the provisions of Measure B “are wholly contrary to existing state law.” “The regulation and administration of the electoral process is a matter of statewide concern, and Shasta County’s status as a charter county does not entitle it to enact invalid legislation simply because some in this community do not agree with the existing law,” the ruling continued.Attorney Alexander Haberbush, who represented a group of Measure B supporters, did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment.But Haberbush told local television station KRCR that they are “reviewing every option, including an appeal.”“Today’s ruling tells the voters of every charter county in California that they have no say over how their own elections are run.

This ruling goes far further than any state law requires,” he told the station.The battle over election integrity took hold in the mostly rural Shasta County in 2023.At the time, the Shasta County Board of Supervisors, fueled by President Trump’s unsubstantiated election fraud claims, stopped usi...