Voting access and presidential power face fresh legal and state challenges

A Supreme Court intervention has left federal authority over vote-by-mail restrictions unresolved, while bipartisan election officials warn that timing and legal uncertainty could confuse voters and weaken confidence before the midterms. California’s Voting Rights Act of 2026 adds safeguards, language-access protections, and preclearance, while SB 1354 challenges presidential control over National Guard deployments. California’s new penalties for undisclosed influencer political ads extend the broader fight over election integrity and campaign transparency.