Overview
- Backers led by Reform California and Republican Assemblymember Carl DeMaio delivered roughly 1.3–1.35 million petitions to registrars statewide after a months-long drive.
- The proposed constitutional amendment would require photo ID at polling places, a mail ballot envelope entry of the last four digits from a government ID, free state ID cards on request, and verification of registrants’ U.S. citizenship.
- County registrars are conducting initial checks before the Secretary of State performs random sampling; about 875,000 valid signatures are needed, and if the measure advances, officials have up to 131 days to prepare ballot language.
- A coalition including the ACLU, League of Women Voters of California, and Common Cause has mobilized to oppose the measure, citing risks of voter suppression, privacy concerns, and data errors, and pointing to research that documented voter fraud is rare.
- Supporters argue the change would bolster trust and note polling that shows broad backing for ID rules, while California remains among about 14 states without voter ID and saw more than 80% of 2024 ballots cast by mail.