Governor Gavin Newsom has signed several bills to bolster California's election security, including extended hours for mail-in ballot drop-offs, a felony for seizing ballots or records, and mandatory disclosure for paid political content by influencers. The measures are framed as a response to federal actions perceived to limit vote-by-mail and to public attacks on the state's election processes. Officials say the laws strengthen voter protections ahead of upcoming primaries.
Newsom Signs Election-Security Package to Block Federal Interference, Tighten Ballot Protections
A worker inspects ballots at the Los Angeles county ballot processing center the day after California's primary election on 3 June.Photograph: Jae C Hong/AP
California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a package of bills intended to strengthen election security, limit federal interference, and increase protections for voters and election workers, his office announced Sunday.
Key Measures
The legislation includes several notable provisions:
- Extended operating hours for mail-in ballot drop-off locations to make returning ballots more convenient and secure.
- A new felony offense for seizing ballots or election records, a response to an incident earlier this year in which Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco took possession of more than 650,000 ballots from a 2025 redistricting special election.
- Rules and penalties requiring disclosure when political campaigns pay social media influencers to promote candidates or political messages.
Why the Bills Were Framed This Way
Newsom emphasized the vote-by-mail provisions as a defense against actions by the Trump administration he said sought to restrict the practice. The U.S. Supreme Court recently rejected parts of the administration's proposed changes to vote-by-mail, including a requirement that states provide lists of approved mail-ballot voters to the U.S. Postal Service.
"Donald Trump won't stop until he can exert dictatorial control over your free vote and disenfranchise millions of people this November. California will stop him at every opportunity," Newsom said. "We have no bigger task than fighting to protect the right to vote from interference and meddling – the future of democracy is on the line."
Context and Controversies
The influencer-disclosure measure follows criticism in the recent campaign to succeed Newsom, when billionaire philanthropist Tom Steyer paid content creators to promote him without prominent disclosure. Steyer's campaign said it supported fair compensation for creators.
Newsom's push also comes after repeated public statements by former President Donald Trump questioning the integrity of California's 2026 primaries and suggesting—without evidence—that the state's slower vote counting was an effort to "rig" results.
Secretary of State Shirley Weber praised the package: "California is meeting the moment. No one should doubt the degree of our resolve in protecting our democracy."
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