In 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 759 into law. The legislation aligned the elections for county sheriffs and district attorneys with the presidential election cycle. However, in Fresno County, county officials took issue with the new law and put Measure A on the ballot earlier this year to counter the legislation.
Measure A amended the county’s charter by adding language that kept the election of the Fresno County sheriff and district attorney in non-presidential years. The measure was approved by voters with nearly 56% yes votes in March.
But now California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Secretary of State Shirley Weber have filed a lawsuit against the county, arguing against Measure A’s legality and its attempt to circumvent state law.
Melissa Montalvo is a reporter with the Fresno Bee who recently wrote about the lawsuit. She spoke with KVPR’s Elizabeth Arakelian about it and what could happen next.
Listen to the interview with the player on this page.
