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Gavin Newsom signs election security bills to thwart federal interference by Trump
The Guardian • • general
Key Points:
- California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a package of bills to enhance election security, including measures to prevent federal political interference and extend mail-in voting drop-off hours.
- Newsom emphasized the vote-by-mail extension as a defense against the Trump administration's attempts to restrict mail voting, which the US Supreme Court recently blocked.
- One bill criminalizes the seizure of ballots or election records, responding to an incident where a sheriff took possession of over 650,000 ballots in a special election.
- The legislation also introduces rules for political campaigns' interactions with social media influencers, penalizing undisclosed paid political content following criticism of Tom Steyer's campaign practices.
- Secretary of State Shirley Weber affirmed California's commitment to protecting democracy amid unfounded claims by Trump about election rigging in the state's 2026 primaries.
