California Proposition 39
A constitutional amendment requiring voters to present government-issued identification before voting in person, and requiring mail voters to write the last four digits of a government-issued ID number on their ballot return envelope.
A “yes” vote would support requiring voters to present ID.
A “no” vote would oppose the ID requirement, leaving voter identity verification as-is (signature matching).
How does voting work now?
California currently requires an ID card and Social Security number to register to vote, but does not require ID at the polling place. Voter identity is currently established through the voter’s signature.
What would it cost?
Between tens of millions of dollars and low hundreds of millions of dollars per year to implement the new ID requirements, according to the state’s fiscal analysis.
Support
Supporters include: California Republican Party, Reform California, Uline CEO Richard Uihlein, The Transparency Foundation, Latino American Political Association, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, and California Women’s Leadership Association.
Supporters argue that ID requirements will increase trust and confidence in California’s elections, and note that most states already require some form of voter ID.
Opposition
Opponents include: ACLU California Action, Common Cause, League of Women Voters of California, and California Democratic Party.
Opponents argue the requirement would create costly, unnecessary barriers that could block eligible voters from casting a ballot, and would disproportionately affect voters with disabilities, low-income voters, and those who have recently moved.