California Voters Reject Voter ID Mandate in General Election

California voters rejected Proposition 39 in the November 4 election, defeating a measure that would have required government-issued identification for in-person voting and stricter verification for mail-in ballots. Preliminary results show the initiative trailing with approximately 41% in favor and 59% against. The measure was championed by Republican Assemblymember Carl DeMaio and his organization, Reform California, with significant financial backing including an $8 million donation from billionaire Joseph Gebbia.

Shirley Weber, the Democratic incumbent Secretary of State, holds a sizable early lead over Republican challenger Don Wagner. The race has focused heavily on election administration and the integrity of the voting process. Wagner supported Proposition 39 as a means to restore trust in the system, while Weber opposed the measure, asserting that California's elections are "free and fair."

The vote occurred amid heightened tensions between the state and the Trump administration over allegations of noncitizen voting. The federal government recently requested a Supreme Court order to force California to set aside 20,000 mail-in ballots, but Justice Elena Kagan denied the request. Additionally, the campaign faced disputes over the official ballot wording, which was rewritten by Attorney General Rob Bonta. As of November 3, over 6.3 million ballots had been counted, though final results in many counties remain pending.