California lawmaker seeks to strengthen state Voting Rights Act

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CN) — California voting rights advocates unveiled legislation Wednesday they say is needed to combat attempts by President Donald Trump and others to deconstruct democracy.

The California Voting Rights Act of 2026 — two bills written by state Senator Sabrina Cervantes, a Riverside Democrat — is a response to what the California Democracy Partnership calls voter concern about attacks on democracy. The group pointed to a recent poll showing that two-thirds of voters want California to enhance its own Voting Rights Act to ensure voters face no discrimination or suppression.

“We cannot stand by while Donald Trump and his Republican allies in Congress attempt to dismantle our democracy piece by piece,” Cervantes said in a statement. “We must never allow the suppression or dilution of the votes of historically disenfranchised communities or discrimination against limited English proficiency voters.

“Give voters the means to fight back against vote dilution and suppression and increase access to the translated election materials for limited English proficiency voters," the senator added in a statement to Courthouse News.

The legislation — Senate Bills 1164 and 1360 — have a strong focus on language access. They would codify portions of the federal Voting Rights Act into state law, including the requirement that in-language ballots and other election materials are available to groups that meet a county-level threshold.

Additionally, the bills would lower that county threshold to 5,000 voting-age residents from 10,000.

Cervantes’ legislation also would give groups not properly reflected in the census a chance to show that they should receive language assistance.

“As threats to free and fair elections worsen in California and nationally, working Californians are united in their call for legislative action to protect our democracy and increase election integrity — from more inclusive language resources to ensuring our democracy in California is protected and strengthened,” Arnulfo De La Cruz, president of SEIU Local 2015 and a SEIU California executive board member, said in a statement.

Language access is one part of the legislation. Another aspect is ensuring people have access to the ballot box.

The bills would reinforce Californians’ right to go to court to enforce their voting rights. They also would instruct courts to interpret the law in favor of access and equal participation in the voting process.

The legislation calls for jurisdictions with a recent history of discrimination to receive approval before making specific changes to their voting procedures. It would restrict district maps or election systems that hurt the voting power of minority communities.

And the bills would take on obstacles to voter participation and access in the form of discriminatory barriers at the polls.

“Voting is under attack across the country by those seeking to clear the path for rolling back decades of anti‑discrimination law, to replace lawful immigration policy with brute‑force enforcement, and to recast political dissent as disloyalty and treason,” said Hector Villagra, vice president of policy advocacy and community education with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, in a statement.

California has been in a rhetorical and legal battle with the White House since Trump returned to the presidency in January 2025.

Shortly after inauguration, the Legislature approved $50 million for the state Justice Department, half of which was designated for legal battles against the Trump administration.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta said this month the state has filed or joined over 60 suits against the federal government since Trump’s return.

The fights extend beyond the courtroom. Governor Gavin Newsom and Trump have traded barbs for months, with Newsom’s social media accounts acting at times as a caricature of Trump.

The verbal sparring turned into boots on the ground this past summer when Trump sent the National Guard to major cities, including Los Angeles. Federal authorities called the move a response to protests against federal immigration enforcement.

More recently, states like California have pushed back against Republican efforts to pass the SAVE Act. Republicans have said the act, which would require proof of citizenship to vote, is needed to protect election integrity while blue states have argued new ID rules would disenfranchise voters.