Newsom Signs 13 Bills to Block Election Interference

The Supreme Court of the United States blocked a rule from the Donald Trump administration and the United States Postal Service that sought to restrict vote-by-mail access ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. The ruling ensures millions of Americans can cast ballots by mail, including in 20 states that had already begun the process.

In response to these federal efforts and a previous seizure of 650,000 ballots by Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, Gavin Newsom signed a package of 13 bills in Los Angeles to safeguard California's electoral process. The legislation makes it a felony to seize ballots, election records, or voting technology before certification, with penalties of up to four years in prison. It also establishes felony penalties for officials who direct workers to interfere with the delivery or return of mail ballots.

Additional measures prohibit police arrests within 200 feet of polling places on Election Day, except in cases of violent crime or direct disruption. The package also targets AI-generated deepfake political ads, mandates transparency for paid social media influencers, and requires ballot drop-off locations to open 30 days before an election.

Republican state senator Shannon Grove opposed the bills, arguing they could criminalize routine postal work. Newsom framed the laws as a necessary defense against efforts by the Trump administration to exert dictatorial control over the vote.