California voters reject Proposition 39 voter ID measure
California voters rejected Proposition 39 on November 3, turning back a proposal to impose new identification and verification rules on elections. The measure had been declared defeated with about half of the votes counted; roughly 60% of voters opposed it at that point.
The proposal would have required people voting in person to present government-issued identification and imposed additional checks on mail-in ballots. It also called for annual legislative audits of the number of citizens registered in each county, a task county election officials already perform. The measure did not set out which forms of government ID would qualify, and would have required the state to provide identification to citizens who lacked other accepted verification.
Supporters, including Republican Assemblymember Carl DeMaio and his group Reform California, argued that identification rules would strengthen election security and public confidence. DeMaio said he would continue pursuing voter ID after the defeat. Backers raised $37 million, including an $8 million contribution from Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia.
Opponents said the rules could make voting harder for eligible citizens, including people whose identification did not reflect a recent move or name change. They also argued that voter fraud is rare and cited potential implementation costs estimated at about $20 million and possibly near $200 million. Democratic leaders, civil rights groups and voting organizations campaigned against the measure.
The result could influence similar efforts elsewhere, as supporters had presented California as a test of voter ID in a Democratic-led state. DeMaio’s pledge to keep pressing for the policy signals that the debate will continue.
California voters block GOP-backed voter ID restrictions
California voters rejected Proposition 39, stopping a Republican-backed effort to tighten access to the ballot through new identification requirements. With roughly half the votes counted on November 3, about 60% opposed the measure, which had drawn millions from conservative donors.
The proposal would have required government-issued ID at polling places and added verification rules for mail-in ballots. It did not specify which forms of ID would be accepted, while requiring the state to provide identification to citizens who lacked other accepted verification. It also called for annual legislative audits of citizen registration totals by county, even though county registrars already conduct that work.
Democrats and civil rights groups argued the rules could burden eligible voters, particularly people whose IDs had not caught up with a move or name change. They warned that the measure could make voting harder and expose personal information to added risk. Opponents also cited potential costs of about $20 million and possibly close to $200 million.
Supporters framed the proposal as election security, but opponents said the case for imposing new hurdles was weak because voter fraud is rare. Democratic leaders campaigned against the measure, while backers raised $37 million, including an $8 million donation from Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia.
Republican Assemblymember Carl DeMaio said he would continue fighting for voter ID despite the defeat. The result could shape similar proposals elsewhere, but California voters have rejected this attempt to change the state’s voting rules.
California voters reject common-sense voter ID proposal
California voters rejected Proposition 39, denying the state a voter ID policy that supporters said would bolster confidence in elections. With roughly half the votes counted on November 3, about 60% opposed the measure, despite a campaign that raised $37 million in support.
The proposal would have required government-issued identification at polling places and added verification requirements for mail-in ballots. It also called for annual audits of citizen registration numbers by county. The measure left the accepted forms of ID unspecified, but required the state to provide identification to citizens without other accepted verification.
Republican Assemblymember Carl DeMaio and other supporters argued that voter ID is a practical safeguard and pointed to its use in other states. DeMaio vowed to keep pressing for the policy after the defeat, calling it a common-sense way to restore trust. An $8 million contribution from Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia provided substantial support for the campaign.
Democrats and voting-rights groups opposed the measure, saying it could obstruct eligible citizens whose IDs did not reflect a move or name change. They also argued that fraud is rare and warned of significant implementation costs, estimated at about $20 million and potentially close to $200 million.
The measure’s defeat leaves California without the proposed requirements, while DeMaio says the fight will continue. Supporters had viewed the state as a test case for voter ID in a Democratic-led state, making the result relevant to similar campaigns elsewhere.
Reported by The San Francisco Standard, New York Post, LAist.
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