California Voters Decide on GOP-Backed Voter ID Measure

California voters are deciding on Proposition 39, a GOP-backed initiative that would mandate government identification for in-person voting and the last four digits of a Social Security or government number for mail-in ballots. The measure, placed on the ballot by Carl DeMaio and Reform California, also requires annual noncitizen checks of voter rolls and mandates that the state provide free voter ID cards upon request.

Supporters, including the California Republican Party, have raised $37 million to promote the measure as a means to secure elections and deter fraud. DeMaio stated that the initiative was structured based on what voters across the political spectrum would want.

Opponents, led by Governor Gavin Newsom and the Democratic Party, have raised $35 million to defeat the proposition. They argue the requirements create needless hurdles that could disenfranchise eligible voters. Secretary of State Shirley Weber and other experts have countered claims of widespread fraud, maintaining that such instances are rare in California.