California Proposition 39 — Prohibits Citizens from Voting Unless They Present Government-Issued Identification

What it does

Prohibits voting by mail unless voter designates a government-issued identification number for their voter registration. Invalidates mail ballots if envelope does not include last four digits of a government-issued identification number matching the number designated in the voter’s registration (e.g., if voter designates Social Security number for registration, but provides driver’s license number on envelope, their ballot would not count). Prohibits voting in person without presenting government-issued identification. Requires elections officials to annually report percentage of each county’s voters whose citizenship status they have verified. Summary of Legislative Analyst's estimate of net state and local government fiscal impact: State and local government costs of between tens of millions of dollars and low hundreds of millions of dollars each year to implement new voting requirements. Costs depend on future decisions by the Legislature, state departments, local governments, and voters.

A YES vote means

Voters would be required to present additional identifying information to elections officials each time they vote.

A NO vote means

A voter’s identity would continue to be established with the voter’s signature.

Needed to pass

A simple majority

Put on the ballot by

citizen initiative

Official text: source

Also on California ballots

• Proposition 1 — Authorizes Bonds for Housing Affordability Programs
• Proposition 2 — Increases State’s Rainy Day Fund
• Proposition 3 — Provides Permanent Funding for Schools and Health Care by Extending Existing Tax on High Incomes
• Proposition 4 — Repeals Prohibition Against Public Funding of Election Campaigns
• Proposition 5 — Changes Recall Election Process for Statewide Officers
• Proposition 37 — Creates Loan Program for Middle-Income Buyers of Qualified New Homes
• Proposition 38 — Authorizes Bonds for Immunology Medical Research
• Proposition 40 — Imposes One-Time Tax on Certain Taxpayers
• Proposition 41 — Prohibits New State Taxes That Exclude Revenues from State Spending Limit. Requires Audits for New State Special Taxes
• Proposition 42 — Prohibits New State Personal Property Taxes and Certain Retroactive State Taxes
• Proposition 43 — Limits Voters’ Ability to Raise Revenues for Local Government Services
• Proposition 44 — Requires Community Health Clinics Spend 90% Of Revenue on Program Services
• Proposition 45 — Modifies Environmental Review for Certain Projects

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