AI-made ad backs Measure A in Kern; professor urges caution
A Kern County PAC used an AI-generated ad in a text for Measure A, reflecting how campaigns here and statewide are testing synthetic media as rules shift.
AI-made ad backs Measure A in Kern; professor urges caution
Key Takeaways
- A local PAC texted Kern County voters an AI-generated ad supporting Measure A.
- Political science professor Nate Monroe says AI content is cheaper to produce with fewer boundaries.
- Parts of California’s AI election law were temporarily blocked in federal court.
- Some candidates, including Yvonne Yiu, have used AI in endorsed campaign materials.
- Viral AI videos in the Los Angeles mayor’s race weren’t official campaign ads.
What showed up in Kern
A political text hit Kern phones this month with an AI-made ad for Measure A. The message read, "It’s time for Kern County to have more local control." Political science professor Nate Monroe called it a sign of where campaigns are going and how quickly they can get there. It was 90 degrees by noon in Bakersfield.
Here’s why it matters: AI-generated political content isn’t theoretical anymore for local voters weighing county measures and down-ballot races this year. It is on their screens, and it can arrive faster and cheaper than the traditional spot that took a week in a studio.
What the law allows right now
California moved to police election deepfakes, then a federal judge put parts of the new restrictions on hold. Disclosure rules still exist in other parts of state law, but the broadest ban is paused while the case plays out. Fair question.
Monroe’s short version for voters: treat AI content like any campaign claim, but double check it. He said the barrier to making professional-looking video has dropped in just a few cycles, which changes who can flood the zone and how often they try.
Campaigns testing the tools
The Kern text isn’t an outlier. In May, videos boosting Republican Spencer Pratt’s Los Angeles mayoral bid tore through social media with fantasy-style scenes of a burning city and a villainized Karen Bass. Those weren’t official campaign ads. At the same time, some candidates are putting their names on AI work. State Board of Equalization candidate Yvonne Yiu has used AI in material her campaign directly endorsed.
To show how accessible this has become, the KBAK reporter behind the original story built a sample get-out-the-vote video with off-the-shelf tools in minutes. No production house. No big ad buy. Just prompts and a script.
The takeaway for Kern voters
Monroe’s broader point lands for Kern County, where local committees, supervisorial hopefuls, and city campaigns all rely on texts and short videos to reach voters who ignore mail. The tech moves faster than new rules, and the courts are still sorting where the First Amendment draws the line. "As much as possible, you are responsible for information you allow to affect your decisions," he said. "If you think you’re going to use it as part of your decision, double check it quickly."
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