California officials filed suit against the city of Huntington Beach Monday after it passed Measure A, a voter identification law. The ballot measure would “authorize, but not require, the City to; verify the eligibility of Electors by voter identification…” and “monitor ballot drop boxes located within the City for compliance with all applicable laws.”

California’s complaint iterates the fact that the constitutional right to vote already checks the threat of voter identification fraud since registering to vote is “generally confirmed with documentation and under penalty of perjury.” This is why current voting laws only require in-person voters to give their name and address. The complaint also explains that voter registration is in “the sole purview of the legislature.” Probable cause is needed to challenge voter identification since registered voters are currently given the presumption of being qualified to vote.

California’s Attorney General Rob Bonta stated Monday on X (formerly Twitter) that the state was suing Huntington Beach for “violating CA election law and threatening to disenfranchise voters and suppress Californians’ right to vote.”

Additionally, the Attorney General’s office’s press release Monday stated that allowing Measure A to amend the city’s charter on voter ID laws “unlawfully conflicts with and is preempted by state law.” The statement further stated:

State election law already contains robust voter ID requirements with strong protections to prevent voter fraud, while ensuring that every eligible voter can cast their ballot without hardship. Imposing unnecessary obstacles to voter participation disproportionately burdens low-income voters, voters of color, young or elderly voters, and people with disabilities.

A 2014 Government Accountability Office study found that photo identification requirements reduce turnout by up to 3 percentage points and are more discriminatory to minority and vulnerable groups of people.