Huntington Beach officials proclaimed victory Friday when an Orange County judge ruled that the city’s new voter ID law was legal, a setback for the California attorney general’s office, which warned that voter ID could soon throw the city’s 2026 elections “into chaos.”

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. - A judge has ruled to dismiss California's lawsuit against the city of Huntington Beach over its Voter ID law.

In September, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, signed into state law a measure that bans local governments in California from establishing and enforcing laws that require residents provide identification to vote in elections. The law was a direct response to Huntington Beach's law, but it doesn't take effect until next year.

In September Huntington Beach sued Bonta, Newsom and state Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond in response to Assembly Bill 1955. It prevents school officials from requiring teachers to reveal students’ sexual orientation or expressed gender identity to relatives.

An Orange County Superior Court judge on Friday handed a legal victory to Huntington Beach in its battle to require residents to show ID when voting.