Should California voters be required to show their ID to cast a ballot?

In the laundry list of measures on the November ballot, few have stood out more than a GOP-backed initiative to require government identification to vote. 

California voters are deciding on Proposition 39, which would require voters to show a government ID, such as a driver’s license, at polling places. For mail ballots, voters would need to write the last four digits of their Social Security or other government-issued number. Prop. 39 would also require county election officials to annually check their voter rolls for noncitizens, and the state would be required to provide a free voter ID card for voters upon request.

The measure has amassed $37 million in support from Republicans nationwide, and could be a bellwether for similar initiatives in other states.

There is widespread consensus among experts that voter fraud is rare in California, and election officials, including Secretary of State Shirley Weber, have said such claims are unfounded. 

What do supporters say?

Backers say requiring voter ID would be a small yet meaningful step to help deter voter fraud and guarantee California’s elections are secure. They also note that 36 other states require or recommend some form of identification to vote, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, although only 10 states are considered strict about it.

Republican San Diego Assemblymember Carl DeMaio put the measure on the ballot in tandem with his right-wing political group Reform California after similar previous failed attempts in the state Legislature. He and others have emphasized national polling that shows bipartisan support for voter ID requirements.

“We’ve structured this initiative based on what voters across the political spectrum would want,” DeMaio told CalMatters in March.

The measure qualified in March after proponents collected more than the 875,000 signatures required to put the initiative on the November ballot.

The California Republican Party and Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association are major endorsers, and major donors include packaging magnate Richard Uihlein, who’s contributed $17 million, and Airbnb co-founder and White House official Joe Gebbia, who’s given $8 million. 

Southern California businessman Steven Bray and Reform California each contributed more than $3 million.

What do opponents say?

Prop. 39 detractors argue that showing voter ID is a needless hurdle that would prevent eligible voters from casting ballots. Critics include a coalition of civil rights, voting and good governance groups who say ID requirements are unnecessary because noncitizen voting and impersonation is rare. People who recently moved or changed their last name might not yet have an updated ID and would be unfairly kept from voting, groups such as Common Cause and the American Civil Liberties Union claim.

“There is no widespread noncitizen voting that would justify adding these strict requirements,” League of Women Voters of California Executive Director Jenny Farrell said.

Opponents also point to its potentially high expenses to the state. The measure could cost tens of millions to the low hundreds of millions of dollars to implement, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office.

Democratic heavyweights have played a big role in putting a public face to the opposition. U.S. Gov. Gavin Newsom and Sen. Adam Schiff stumped at No campaign events across the state, as well as gubernatorial favorite Xavier Becerra who created a committee with Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas to raise money to oppose it.

The Democratic Party is the biggest donor at nearly $6.5 million of the opposition’s $35 million total. California labor and tribal groups have given more than $2 million each. Philanthropists Quinn Delaney and Patty Quillin combined have given $3 million.