Attorney General Bonta, Secretary of State Weber Secure Final Court Order Striking Down Shasta County’s Measure B

Marks another win in California's efforts to protect against interference in our state's elections and the right to vote

OAKLAND - California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D. secured a final judgment declaring Shasta County's Measure B, which would have upended the County's election system and undermined state election law protections, unlawful and permanently enjoining its implementation. Among other things, Measure B would have required voters to present government-issued photo identification to register to vote and vote in person, eliminated vote-by-mail and most early voting options, mandated the hand-counting of ballots, and created a separate county voter registration system disconnected from the state. Attorney General Bonta and Secretary of State Weber filed a lawsuit against Shasta County, secured a preliminary injunction that blocked the measure from being implemented during the November 3, 2026, election, and successfully defended the preliminary injunction on appeal. This final judgment invalidates Measure B and ensures Shasta County will continue to hold their elections in accordance with state election laws.

"In California, we are committed to ensuring every eligible voter is able to participate in our democracy by exercising their right to vote. And we will not stand for any attempts at interference in our state's elections process," said Attorney General Rob Bonta. "With this decision, we have shut down another unlawful attack on our state's elections and the fundamental right to vote. Our democracy thrives when every person is able to make their voice heard. We will never stop fighting to ensure that California's elections remain free, fair, safe, and secure."

"Any way you slice it, Measure B was a colossal waste of time and taxpayer funds," said Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D. "The proponents of the Measure knew it was unlawful but submitted it to the voters anyway. Today's decision affirms what was a forgone conclusion from the beginning. As long as there are those willing to enact reckless, illegal, and poorly drafted laws, on behalf of Californians, we will see them in court."

BACKGROUND

On June 30, 2026, Attorney General Bonta and Secretary of State Weber filed a lawsuit in Shasta County Superior Court challenging Measure B. In their lawsuit, Attorney General Bonta and Secretary of State Weber argued that Measure B was unlawful because:

• It exceeded Shasta County's constitutional authority. As a charter county, Shasta County does not have home-rule authority, or the power to set its own rules, over voter registration or elections.
• It is preempted by state law. Measure B directly conflicts with California laws governing voter identification, vote-by-mail, early voting, ballot counting, and the statewide voter registration system.
• It threatened to disrupt the November election. With more than 116,000 registered voters in Shasta County and critical election deadlines approaching, immediate relief was necessary to prevent Measure B from upending the county's election system and to ensure California's election laws are applied uniformly.

Attorney General Bonta is committed to protecting California's elections and the fundamental right to vote. Last week, Attorney General Bonta celebrated the U.S. Department of Justice's decision to drop its baseless lawsuit seeking to force California election officials to set aside and not count mail-in ballots that may be cast by a list of approximately 20,000 individuals it "believes" are "likely" noncitizens. The decision came after four consecutive losses - from the district court all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court. Attorney General Bonta also successfully challenged the U.S. Postal Service's final rule which unlawfully attempted to interfere with states' constitutional authority to administer elections.