Governor Newsom signs legislation to further protect California elections from interference and intimidation

What you need to know: As President Trump continues to threaten political interference in the upcoming midterm election, Governor Newsom signed a new law to strengthen California's election protections ahead of the June 2 statewide primary - safeguarding voters, election workers, and ballot security from interference, intimidation, and unauthorized law enforcement activity. Watch here.

SACRAMENTO - Governor Gavin Newsom today signed Senate Bill 73 (Cervantes and Umberg), legislation strengthening California's existing election safeguards in response to growing threats of election interference and intimidation, including efforts by allies of President Donald Trump to undermine confidence in elections and disrupt lawful election administration.

California will not allow our elections to be commandeered by political intimidation, abuse of power, or chaotic interference from extremists chasing conspiracy theories. This law protects voters, election workers, and the integrity of the democratic process from election-deniers who want to undermine democracy.

Governor Gavin Newsom

"Senate Bill 73 is a direct response to efforts by officials in the Trump Administration and local elected leaders to undermine our democracy piece by piece," said Senator Sabrina Cervantes. "The enactment of SB 73 protects Californians' sacred right to vote free from fear of intimidation or interference, and safeguards the essential integrity of elections in California. I want to thank Governor Newsom and my Democratic colleagues in the Legislature, especially Senate President pro Tempore Monique Limón, for their partnership in defending democracy in our Golden State."

"When the President says he is going to disrupt an election, I believe him," said Senator Tom Umberg. "A successful effort to interfere in an election is what first motivated me to run for office 36 years ago. It is shocking and deeply troubling that people are still willing to threaten the very foundation of our democracy."
"When the President says he is going to disrupt an election, I believe him," said Senator Tom Umberg. "A successful effort to interfere in an election is what first motivated me to run for office 36 years ago. It is shocking and deeply troubling that people are still willing to threaten the very foundation of our democracy."

SB 73 strengthens California law by

• Prohibiting any person from providing unauthorized access, disruption, modification, or seizure of voter rolls, voter lists, or certified voting technology to law enforcement agents - including federal agents - absent a court order or investigation into specific violations of California election law.
• Restricting peace officers from interfering with election administration or disrupting election workers carrying out their duties, except in urgent public safety emergencies.
• Requiring the California Department of Justice to issue guidance to county election officials on how to respond to requests from law enforcement seeking access to areas where ballots are cast, processed, or handled.
• Increasing protections against illegal removal or seizure of voted ballots and establishing criminal penalties for knowingly taking ballots from election officials.

"President Trump and his allies have continuously threatened to prevent free and fair elections in states across the country," said Dora Rose, Deputy Director of the League of Women Voters of California. "But California is fighting back and protecting our democracy. With Governor Newsom's signature on SB 73, we are ensuring future generations retain our most precious freedoms. We applaud Governor Newsom for protecting our ballot boxes from federal attacks - including President Trump's threats to send armed law enforcement to intimidate voters or steal ballots. We thank Senators Cervantes and Umberg, as well as their colleagues who supported SB 73 in the legislature, for taking urgent action to prevent federal interference in our November elections. This landmark law erects essential barriers against unauthorized federal access to voting systems, voter rolls, and polling places - protections that are more vital now than ever. This is just the first of several critical steps needed to secure this year's elections and ensure our democracy is truly democratic. We cannot rest while threats to our voting rights persist. Every safeguard matters. Every defense counts. We look forward to working with the legislature to protect and strengthen our democracy against all who seek to undermine it."

Trump's attacks on democracy

Trump and his allies have spent years attacking the foundations of American democracy and undermining confidence in free and fair elections. After losing the 2020 election, Trump pressured state officials to overturn certified results - including infamously demanding Georgia's Secretary of State "find" enough votes to reverse the outcome - while simultaneously promoting false claims of widespread voter fraud that were rejected by courts, election officials on both sides of the aisle, and even members of his own administration. He backed the fake electors scheme in multiple battleground states, pressured former Vice President Mike Pence to block certification of the Electoral College vote despite lacking any constitutional authority to do so, and later granted sweeping clemency to individuals connected to the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol that sought to stop the peaceful transfer of power.

Trump and his allies have also fueled voter intimidation efforts through repeated false claims about noncitizen voting, pushed aggressive voter roll purges, deployed armed federal personnel near election sites, and sought access to voting systems, ballots, voter data, and election equipment - including the seizure of ballots in Fulton County.

Safeguarding the right to vote

Since taking office, Governor Newsom has taken aggressive action to protect voting rights, strengthen election security, and defend democratic institutions from political interference. Since 2019, California has expanded voter access through universal vote-by-mail, increased protections against voter intimidation and election misinformation, strengthened cybersecurity protections for election infrastructure, and invested in safeguarding election workers from threats and harassment. Last fall, Governor Newsom signed legislation to keep dirty money out of California's democracy and prevent election "sweepstakes" - where billionaires attempt to buy elections.