Daijiworld Media Network - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, Sep 20: California governor Gavin Newsom has signed a package of 13 bills introducing new protections for the state’s November midterm elections, including measures dealing with mail-in ballots, election records, voting technology and voter access.
The measures come ahead of the November 3, 2026 general election, which includes contests for the US House of Representatives, California state offices and the state Legislature.
Among the measures, Assembly Bill 282 makes it a felony to seize or assist in the seizure of ballots, election records or certified voting technology before election results are certified. It also makes it a felony for a person with authority to direct someone under their supervision to carry out such an act.
Senate Bill 259 makes it a felony for a person with authority to direct someone under their supervision to interfere with the delivery or return of a vote-by-mail ballot. It also creates a misdemeanor offence for a person responsible for a vote-by-mail ballot to interfere with its delivery to a voter.
Assembly Bill 1664 requires local agencies, political subdivisions and election officials to notify the California Secretary of State and Attorney General within one calendar day of becoming aware of certain warrants, subpoenas or active law-enforcement investigations involving the search, seizure or retention of election records or certified voting technology.
The package also includes measures addressing deceptive election communications and manipulated media, paid political content, election cybersecurity, voting rights, language access and vote-by-mail procedures.
The legislation comes amid an ongoing dispute between California and the Trump administration over federal election policies.
California officials have opposed federal efforts concerning access to voter information and changes to mail-in voting. The state has also challenged federal actions in court.
Newsom, California Secretary of State Shirley Weber and Attorney General Rob Bonta have said the new laws are intended to protect the state's election administration from interference. Their characterisations of the federal actions reflect the position of California officials.
Weber said the package was intended to ensure that California voters would not be “silenced or intimidated”, while Newsom said the measures would build on the state's existing election safeguards.
The 13-bill package signed on September 19 includes AB 282, SB 259, AB 2103, AB 502, AB 686, AB 1130, AB 1664, AB 2281, SB 1164, SB 1360, SB 884, SB 1418 and SB 1420.