Key facts
- California Governor Gavin Newsom signed election security bills.
- The legislation aims to thwart federal political interference.
- One bill extends hours for mail-in voting drop-off locations.
- A new law makes it a felony to seize ballots or election records.
- Penalties will be imposed on individuals who do not disclose paid political content from social media influencers.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a package of bills designed to enhance election security and prevent federal political interference. The legislation addresses key electoral issues, including extending the hours for mail-in voting drop-off locations. Newsom stated that these measures are safeguards against the Trump administration's efforts to restrict mail-in voting, which he claims is an attempt to disenfranchise voters. He asserted that California will actively fight against such interference to protect the right to vote and democracy.
One of the new laws establishes a felony offense for seizing ballots or election records, a measure seemingly in response to an incident where Riverside county sheriff Chad Bianco took possession of over 650,000 ballots.
Additionally, the package introduces regulations for political campaigns' interactions with social media influencers, imposing penalties on those who fail to disclose paid political content. This comes after criticism faced by philanthropist Tom Steyer during a recent gubernatorial race for allegedly paying content creators to promote him without proper disclosure.
Governor Newsom's actions follow repeated assertions by Donald Trump questioning the integrity of California's 2026 primaries and alleging that the state's slow vote-counting process was an attempt to rig the outcome. California Secretary of State Shirley Weber affirmed the state's commitment to protecting democracy.