California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, signed a package of election security laws into law on Saturday. He promised that the state would block any attempts by US President Donald Trump's administration to interfere with the November vote.
The new laws criminalize the seizure of ballots or voting machines. Federal law enforcement activities near polling places are also limited and they must be promptly notified of any attempts to interfere with or access election systems.
The package complements legislation Newsom signed in May that limited law enforcement officials, including federal agents, from accessing voter rolls, equipment and election officials without a court warrant or an investigation into a specific violation of state law.
“Donald Trump will not stop until he takes dictatorial control of your voting rights and disenfranchises millions of people this November. California will block him at every opportunity. There is no job more important to us than fighting to protect voting rights from interference and attacks—the future of democracy is at stake,” Newsom said.
He also signed legislation expanding mail-in voting, which Trump tried to restrict nationwide this year – despite voting that way himself, including in the Florida primary. Newsom also approved a measure that would prohibit law enforcement officials from arresting people within 200 feet (60 meters) of a polling place on Election Day unless the person is committing a crime.
“The President has repeatedly tried to undermine confidence in election security by warning of widespread fraud—including in California—despite evidence to the contrary. He suggested that the federal government take control of election administration as a precaution against “fraud,” although there is no evidence of this,” MS NOW claims.
In March, Trump signed a decree aimed at limiting the use of mail ballots, writes The New York Times (NYT). In addition, earlier this year Chad Bianco, the Republican sheriff of Riverside County, seized more than 650,000 ballots cast by voters last year because he said he was investigating discrepancies in the counts, the newspaper adds. As a result, California challenged both decisions, and on September 14 the Supreme Court sided with it and thereby supported other states where Democrats are in power, the newspaper clarifies.
Newsom, who has been called the “anti-Trump,” is considered by some to be a potential Democratic presidential candidate in 2028. He repeatedly criticized the president's policies, the operation against Iran, accused Trump of illegal enrichment and announced an investigation against himself and his wife, allegedly initiated by the head of the White House. In turn, the Republican reproached Newsom for his failure to fight wildfires in California and also called the governor “corrupt” and called for him to resign.
Early voting has already started in the United States, six weeks before the November vote. RTVI previously wrote about which states have already opened polling stations.
