A voter enters a voting booth at Laurel High School on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Laurel, Mont. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown)

Oh California, the beautiful Golden State whose progressive whackjob supermajority is destroying the California Dream, you’re such a contradiction.

On January 1, 2020 it became illegal to work as a freelancer or otherwise determine your own professional destiny. If Asm. Marc Levine (D-Marin County) has his way, beginning in 2022 it will become illegal to NOT vote in an election. That’s right. Compulsory voting. In an announcement on his website entitled “With Democracy on the Line, Levine Calls for Mandatory Ballot Casting in All Elections,” Levine states:

Beginning in 2022, AB 2070 would require that every registered voter in the state cast their ballot, either by mail or at a vote center. The California Secretary of State who oversees elections, would be authorized to enforce civil remedies, developed by their office, to ensure maximum voter turnout.

Civil remedies? So now we can be fined for not voting? Or we can just tell someone else to vote for us – however they want to – to avoid such a fine. Surely no RedState readers would do such a stupid thing, but who’s to say people who aren’t as politically informed wouldn’t give their ballots to their friends so they can avoid being penalized? And how exactly does “mandatory ballot casting” work? Let’s hope we never find out.

Levine continued (emphasis mine):

Across the globe, 30 nations currently require mandatory ballot casting – the oldest, Belgium, began compulsory ballot casting in 1893. In the past decade, California has taken dramatic steps to lower barriers to voting and increase voter participation including the passage of the Voter’s Choice Act, expanding early voting opportunities and making all vote by mail ballot envelopes postage paid. AB 2070 builds upon these efforts to increase voter participation by making voting compulsory.

“Democracy is not a spectator sport – it requires the active participation of all its citizens,” said Assemblymember Levine. “California is a national leader on expanding voting rights to its citizens. Those rights come with a responsibility by registered voters to cast their ballot and make sure that their voice is heard by their government. This is not a time to be complacent at the ballot box. My AB 2070 will ensure that the voices of all California voters are heard loud and clear.”

All of you freelancers out there who have been affected by AB5 – you heard the man! Vote!