Huntington Beach is taking steps to implement voter identification requirements for city elections starting next year. On Tuesday, the City Council directed city staff to draft an ordinance and provide a cost estimate for implementing Measure A, a voter-approved measure that allows the city to require ID for in-person voting. Measure A, which passed with 53.4% support in 2024, also mandates the city to increase in-person voting locations and monitor ballot drop boxes.
City staff are considering hiring an election consultant to help implement the new requirements. However, specifics on enforcement are still being determined. City Manager Travis Hopkins noted that the city is about a year away from its next scheduled election.
The implementation of voter ID in Huntington Beach faces legal challenges. The state attorney general’s office and Secretary of State Shirley Weber sued the city in April 2024, arguing that the plan could disenfranchise voters. Although an Orange County judge rejected these arguments, the state quickly appealed the decision. The city is expected to issue its reply brief this month…