Republican initiative for voter ID in California gathers enough support for ballot measure

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Guardian

Tue 3 Mar 2026 14.08 EST
Last modified on Tue 3 Mar 2026 18.05 EST


Republican organizers in California announced they have gathered enough signatures to place a measure that would require voters in the state to present identification every time they vote and for election officials to verify that registered voters are US citizens on the ballot this November.

Proponents of the measure announced that they have collected 1.3m signatures on a petition to put the issue on to the ballot for a vote in the midterm elections, surpassing the 874,641 signatures needed under California state law. Officials must now verify the signatures.

Under the current law, Californians are not required to show or provide identification when casting a ballot in person or by mail. They are, however, required to provide identification when registering to vote. Voters must also swear under penalty of perjury – a felony – that they are a US citizen eligible to vote.

The campaign for tightened voter identification laws in California has largely been spearheaded by Carl DeMaio, a Republican state assembly member. DeMaio received fundraising assistance from Julie Luckey, mother of tech entrepreneur and Donald Trump supporter Palmer Luckey. Californians for Voter ID, the campaign committee founded by Julie Luckey, raised nearly $10m to support the ballot measure, according to DeMaio. California’s ballot measure coincides with a national push from Republicans to tighten voting eligibility.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/03/republican-voter-id-california-ballot-measure

[kerouac2]

1. Now loading: FAFO

Wonder how many who vote to support it will find themselves unable to vote in next election because they don't have the right info on their ID...

...bbbut I voted for it so the bad people couldn't vote, not me...

[hunter]

2. So they are going to inconvenience everyone for a problem that doesn't exist?

Of course they are. They are hoping this suppresses more Democratic voters than Republican voters and they will if these new measures are only enforced for citizens likely to vote Democratic.

It's Nazi shit. Make it difficult for certain classes of people to get the proper documentation and then disenfranchise them when they don't.

Anything promoted by the modern republican party is a lie. The party is irredeemably corrupt.

[travelingthrulife]

3. For a 0.003% voter fraud issue. Clearly an abuse of voters rights.

It is a poll tax.

[Zorro]

4. Carl DeMaio is a real piece of work

Multiple allegations of sexual misconduct. Constantly riling up the MAGA nutjobs in his district, currently telling them California is going to start taxing cars on a per mile basis. Log Cabin Republican. Carpetbagger.

I'm in his district, so I smell his stench almost weekly from his shotgun emails to constituents.

[travelingthrulife]

5. He sends out mailers claiming he's a democrat too. Real piece of garbage.

[BumRushDaShow]

6. I hope his seat was targeted with the redistricting

[BadgerKid]

7. I wonder how signatures are verified.

Anything involving computer systems opens up the possibility of having been hacked and fake accounts created. Then if there is a election or vote, how do we know that wasn't manipulated?

So it goes... chipping away at things one state at a time.

[kimbutgar]

8. This is the first I have heard of this and I'm a 4the generation Californian

I wonder where they got those signatures? It sounds fishy af !

[GJGCA]

9. Mail in ballots, how is that supposed to work?

You show ID to a postal worker?

Strange.

[BumRushDaShow]

10. Here in PA

to get a ballot, I have to electronically provide identification in some form if done online (driver's license, state ID, passport, I think last 4 digits of SS #, etc) or have that info on the ballot application that gets mailed to them, and then the application info is reviewed and approved by the County before a final ballot is sent to you.

When you mail or drop off the completed ballot at a designated drop box, election office, or polling place, it has to have been signed and dated or it will be rejected. The signature is on the back of the "outer envelope".

The envelopes and ballots are barcoded, so I expect when they first scan, they are running the whole thing through to do a barcode check and signature check before it is opened to remove the ballot (where the ballot itself is in its own "inner/privacy" envelope).

[GJGCA]

11. Appreciate the reply. (nt)

[BumRushDaShow]

12. No problem!

Other locales might do it differently but that is how they do it here.