A legal fight is on over the language that will appear on the November ballot alongside the California voter ID measure\u00a0being pushed by San Diego-area Assemblymember Carl DeMaio.<\/p>\n
The committee backing the ballot measure, known as Proposition 39, filed a lawsuit Monday alleging Attorney General Rob Bonta weakened the ballot measure\u2019s language in a way that\u2019s inaccurate and biased.<\/p>\n
The Attorney General\u2019s Office routinely alters ballot measure language and changed the language for all of the nine measures California voters will decide on this fall.<\/p>\n
Originally, the submitted ballot measure language read that it \u201cestablishes additional voter identification and citizenship verification requirements.\u201d Under Bonta\u2019s rewrite, the measure says it \u201cprohibits citizens from voting unless they present government-issued identification.\u201d<\/p>\n
The lawsuit argues the ballot measure does not technically prevent people from casting votes but rather mandates election officials verify a voter\u2019s identity before counting them.<\/p>\n
In a statement, DeMaio accused Bonta of trying to \u201crig the vote\u201d on voter ID. \u201cCalifornia voters deserve a fair election, and that\u2019s why our coalition is suing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
DeMaio said he was traveling on Tuesday and not available for comment.<\/p>\n
The lawsuit, filed in Sacramento court, asks for a decision by Aug. 10. After that date, the state begins printing ballot materials.<\/p>\n
In a statement, Bonta\u2019s office said it was confident the courts would side with its version of the ballot measure.<\/p>\n
\u201cCalifornia DOJ takes seriously its responsibility to provide accurate and impartial information to inform voters,\u201d Bonta said in a social media post last week after the new language was first released.<\/p>\n
Voter ID landed on California\u2019s November ballot following a well-financed campaign backed by wealthy Republican donors and Reform California, the powerful conservative group controlled by DeMaio.<\/p>\n
The committee backing it had raised $13.3 million as of late April, according to campaign disclosures most recently filed. Of that, $3 million came from Reform California. Billionaire Richard Uihlein, an influential donor to conservative causes, donated $4 million.<\/p>\n
Other top donors include investors Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, who together gave $500,000, and Nicole Shanahan, running mate for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.\u2019s 2024 presidential bid, who donated $370,000.<\/p>\n
About 8% of the committee\u2019s fundraising came from donors who gave $1,000 or less.<\/p>\n
Supporters argue voter ID prevents voter fraud. But actual cases of voter fraud are rare, and critics say voter ID laws suppress the votes of people of color, the elderly, military voters and students.<\/p>\n
California is one of 14 states that do not require voters to present an ID to vote. But voters may be asked to present an ID if they\u2019re voting for the first time, according to the secretary of state\u2019s website.<\/p>\n
Still, stricter identification requirements for voting do have support in California.<\/p>\n