Proposal to require Californians to show ID to vote could be on November ballot after supporters gather over 1M signatures

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KABC) — A proposal to require people to show identification in order to vote could be on the California ballot this November.

Supporters of a proposed California voter ID initiative say they have gathered roughly 1.3 million signatures in an effort to place the measure on the November ballot.

Boxes of petitions were delivered to the Riverside County Registrar of Voters on Monday as part of a statewide submission. Election officials will now verify the signatures to determine whether the measure qualifies.

Backers of the proposal held a rally outside the elections office, calling the effort a step toward strengthening election integrity.

“When we give voters a choice this November, I have no doubt that the people of California will vote for voter integrity and voter ID law, and that we will get this passed,” said State Sen. Tony Strickland, R-Huntington Beach.

The proposed constitutional amendment would require voters to show government-issued identification before casting a ballot. It would also require state election officials to verify the citizenship of registered voters and maintain accurate voter rolls.

Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona, was at the rally to lend his support.

“If we had voter ID, I know we would have greater confidence in the outcome of these elections and election integrity,” Calvert said.

Calvert argued that in close elections, even a small number of ineligible ballots can impact results.

“Anytime a ballot is cast by someone who is ineligible to vote, it cancels out the vote of an eligible citizen. It silences their vote,” he said.

But, opponents argue that voter fraud is extremely rare.

According to the Brennan Center for Justice, out of roughly 250 million mail-in ballots cast nationwide between 2000 and 2020, there were 193 criminal convictions for voter fraud.

“It’s actually more likely to be struck by lightning in the United States than it is to impersonate another voter and illegally cast a ballot,” said Jenny Farrell, executive director of the League of Women Voters of California.

Farrell said strict voter ID laws can disproportionately impact low-income voters, seniors, people with disabilities and women whose identification may not match their voter registration due to name changes after marriage or divorce. She argues existing safeguards already protect against fraud.

“This is really voter suppression, pure and simple,” Farrell said.

Thirty-six states currently require some form of voter identification when voting, though requirements vary in strictness.

County officials will now review and verify the submitted signatures. If enough are deemed valid, the measure could appear before California voters in November.

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