Shawn Griffiths
California legislators just made a bet that the best defense is a good offense.
On August 24, Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen (D-Elk Grove) introduced ACA 24, the "Right to Vote" amendment. Thirteen other Assembly Democrats signed on as joint authors and coauthors, including Anamarie Ávila Farías, Lori Wilson, David Alvarez, Blanca Rubio, Blanca Pacheco, Lisa Calderón, Alex Lee, Corey Jackson, Patrick Ahrens, Jasmeet Bains, Mike Gipson, José Luis Solache, and Tina McKinnor
ACA 24 would amend the California Constitution to guarantee that no eligible voter can be shut out of a publicly funded election because of their party, or lack of one. The idea is simple: the right to vote comes from citizenship, not from joining a political party.
Independent Voter Project legal counsel Chad Peace explained on IVN that the issue of open vs closed primaries could unite both major parties against the Supreme Court shortly after Democratic and Republican political operatives teamed up to “undo” California’s Top Two nonpartisan primary.
But now, a coalition of Assembly Democrats are moving the other direction. Instead of just playing defense, they want to codify the underlying right of independent voters to participate in primary elections.
The timing isn't an accident. More than 5.2 million Californians are now registered “No Party Preference.” They make up about 23% of the electorate and are the fastest-growing segment in the state.
Roughly one-third of California's Latino voters have no party preference. And in the June 2026 primary, turnout hit 41%—the highest in state history.
Alex Segura, Latino News Network
Think about that. A record share of voters showing up, and a growing chunk of them don't belong to either major party. These are the people a repeal would push back out.
ACA 24 also arrives as the state Senate takes up Sen. Sabrina Cervantes's California Voting Rights Act of 2026 (SB 1164 and SB 1360). That package would prohibit voter suppression and vote dilution, require jurisdictions with a history of discrimination to get the attorney general's approval before changing voting rules, and require courts to interpret election laws in favor of voters rather than parties.
ACA 24 builds on that same foundation, but goes further. It puts this principle directly into the Constitution.
Nguyen was direct about the voting rights issue at stake. "This is a voter-centered bill, not a party bill," she said.
"I have colleagues I respect in both the Republican and Democratic parties who may not agree with me on this, and I understand that. But this measure is not about our parties. It is about the voters we all answer to. Every one of them helps pay for these elections, and every one of them deserves an equal say in who represents them."
Joint author Assemblymember Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City) put it this way:
"Democracy works best when every eligible voter has a seat at the table. Our political system should make room for every voice, not create barriers. The right to vote is fundamental, and it should never depend on choosing a political label. ACA 24 is about ensuring every voter has the opportunity to fully participate in our democracy."
The reform crowd sees this as writing down what California already does. "The story of this country has been the steady expansion of who gets to vote, and California has been on the right side of that arc," said Peace.
"We do not leave independent voters out. This amendment simply puts into words a principle our state already lives by, that the right to vote belongs to the citizen and not to any party, and it makes sure no future effort can move us backward."
Amy Tobia, an organizer for RepresentUs San Diego, speaking for More Choice California, kept it plain: "Voters across San Diego and across California are tired of being told they have to pick a side to have a say.”
“This amendment is simple. If you are a citizen and you help pay for an election, you should get to vote in it. That is not a partisan idea. It is a basic promise of representation, and it belongs in our Constitution."
Dan Howle, co-author of Proposition 14 and chairman of the Independent Voter Project, framed the stakes against the repeal effort:
"The Independent Voter Project authored California's nonpartisan primary to give voters the power to control elections. We have spent fifteen years defending that reform in court and in the legislature. The operatives now trying to undo it are acting on behalf of special interests that want to take back that control from the voters."
And the coalition behind all this is not your typical partisan coalition. More Choice California includes co-chairs like Lenny Mendonca, a former economic advisor to Gov. Gavin Newsom, and Anne Marie Schubert, a former Republican and Sacramento County district attorney.
Add in voices like Mike Madrid, a Lincoln Project co-founder, and Steve Peace, co-author of Proposition 14 and former state finance director. The group spans the spectrum.
The constitutional amendment doesn't just pass and stick. ACA 24 needs a two-thirds vote in the legislature, and then it goes to the public for a vote. Two-thirds. In California, that math means Democrats can't do this alone. They need Republican votes.
So, here's the question: Will California Republicans buck their own party leadership and the more partisan voices in their base to join this cause, alongside Democrats and independents?