Attorney General Bonta and Secretary of State Weber Secure Preliminary Injunction Blocking Shasta County’s Illegal Measure B

OAKLAND - California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D., today issued the following statements after the Shasta County Superior Court granted the State's motion for a preliminary injunction, blocking Shasta County from implementing or enforcing Measure B. Among other things, Measure B would require voters to present a government-issued photo identification to register to vote and vote in person, eliminate vote-by-mail and most early voting options, mandate the hand-counting of ballots, and create a separate county voter registration system disconnected from the state's uniform system. Measure B would limit voting to a single in-person Election Day, with limited exceptions for voters with disabilities, members of the military, and U.S. citizens living abroad.

"Measure B would unlawfully change how elections are conducted in Shasta County," said Attorney General Rob Bonta. "Today's ruling prevents Measure B from taking effect while our litigation proceeds, providing certainty that the November election will be conducted under California's established election laws. We will continue fighting to permanently strike down the measure."

"While others attempt to close doors, California ensures that the portal of democracy remains wide open," said Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber. "The court decision today blocking Measure B has made clear what we already know - creating unnecessary barriers does not strengthen our democracy, it weakens it. We will continue making voting accessible for more eligible voters to use their voices in the best way possible, by casting a ballot. The power of the people depends on it."

On June 30, 2026, Attorney General Bonta and Secretary of State Weber filed a lawsuit in Shasta County Superior Court challenging Measure B. On July 2, 2026, they filed a motion for a preliminary injunction arguing that Measure B is unlawful because:

• It exceeds 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 threatens 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.