Public commenters urge supervisors to reconsider voter registration changes, cite state law and costs

Public speakers at the June 3 Kern County Board of Supervisors meeting urged the board to reconsider measures the board previously advanced that would create an appointed registrar of voters and require proof-of-citizenship checks for registration.

The appeals came during the public comment period. Thomas Johnson, who identified himself as a teacher in the Kern High School District, told the board that “state law preempts local governments from enforcing citizenship verification requirements,” and said “SB 1174 explicitly prohibits local voter ID measures.” He urged the board to refer the measures “to the current legislative program committee” to allow broader stakeholder input.

Other residents raised legal, logistical and equity concerns. Thomas Watenville, who said he lives in District 1, asked the board for “research and some budget numbers” and warned re-registering voters would be “a massive undertaking, both labor wise…