Governor signs SB73 to tighten ballot chain-of-custody and bar unauthorized access to voting systems

The Governor signed SB73 at a press event six days before the election, saying the law strengthens protections for ballots and helps safeguard voter confidence.

Assembly Member Pelerin, an author of the bill, told the gathering that SB73 “strengthens protections for the chain of custody of voter ballots by increasing the accountability for the unlawful seizure or removal of ballots from elections officials,” and that it also “prohibits unauthorized access to voting systems, voting machines, or voter data without lawful judicial authorization.” She added the measure gives the Secretary of State, the Attorney General and local elections officials stronger legal tools to respond “quickly when election interference threatens voter confidence or election administration.”

Senator Cervantes said the measure was necessary after an incident in Riverside County in which officials said ballots were seized and “the chain of custody was broken.” “SB73 puts in protections to ensure that ballots will be secured and that voters have confidence in our election system,” she said.

The Governor said the bill takes effect immediately upon his signature and framed it as one part of a broader set of measures and budget negotiations aimed at ensuring timely, secure counts. “One, it goes in effect immediately upon my signature,” he said, and described SB73 as a “mosaic” of provisions intended to address a pattern of actions that have increased public anxiety.

Speakers repeatedly emphasized that the statute seeks to prevent political intimidation of election workers and to limit misuse of law enforcement powers in election contexts; the transcript records criminal penalties and fines associated with the law, including references to jail time of up to three years.

Reporters asked whether the Attorney General and Secretary of State would issue guidance to election workers before election day. The Governor said SB73 formalizes outreach through the Department of Justice and that the Secretary of State and Attorney General would be positioned to provide guidance to registrars; the written record in the transcript indicates this outreach had already been anticipated.

Advocates had asked for roughly $5 million to help counties accelerate counts and counter misinformation; the Governor said those funding negotiations were part of the May revise budget discussions and that a number should be settled shortly.

The event also put recent controversies into context: speakers referenced a widely reported Riverside incident involving roughly 650,000 ballots and described visible federal enforcement deployments near election events, which some participants characterized as intended to intimidate voters. The Governor said state legal teams were preparing responses to potential federal actions and noted a range of ongoing legislative efforts to protect elections.

The signing concludes with the statute in force; officials said the Secretary of State’s office and the Attorney General’s office will play central roles in implementing the new tools and issuing any clarifying guidance for county election officials.