California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 73 to protect elections from political intimidation and unauthorized interference. The law restricts law enforcement access to voter rolls and ballots, imposing penalties for violations.
- The law was a response to a Republican candidate's investigation that seized ballots in Riverside County over an alleged 45,000-vote gap, which was actually only 103 votes. - Attorney General Rob Bonta sued to stop the investigation, and the state Supreme Court paused it.
- The White House criticized Newsom, while supporters say the law safeguards election integrity. The bill passed with strong bipartisan support and aims to prevent future election interference.