California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed over a dozen election bills, making ballot seizures before certification a felony and banning police arrests within 200 feet of polling places on Election Day, except when a crime disrupts polling or targets a person or property.
SB 884 requires ballot drop-off locations to open at least 30 days before elections, instead of 28, through 2029. It also lets county supervisors extend electioneering restrictions near voting sites—including obstructing drop-box access or displaying a candidate’s name—from 100 feet to up to 200 feet. Separately, election officials must immediately notify the California secretary of state and attorney general about warrants, subpoenas or investigations involving election records or voting technology, no later than one calendar day after learning of them.
An authority figure directing a subordinate to interfere with a mail ballot’s return or delivery commits a felony; anyone in charge who interferes with delivery to a voter commits a misdemeanor. State agencies and localities cannot adopt or enforce election practices that suppress or could suppress voting; localities also may not use methods that dilute a protected class’s vote. Manipulated audio or video of a candidate on the ballot, distributed within 60 days of an election to harm the candidate’s reputation or deceive voters, may be distributed only if the manipulation is disclosed; the renewed rule sunsets in 2031.
