2026 California Proposition 39
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November 3, 2026
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Voter Identification, Citizenship Verification, and Registered Voter List Administration Initiative |
| Elections in California |
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Proposition 39, also known as the California voter ID initiative, is an initiated constitutional amendment that will appear on the November 3, 2026, ballot in the state of California. The initiative would amend the state constitution to require the use of a government-issued ID for in-person voting, as well as the last four digits of a unique government-issued ID number when casting a mail-in ballot.
The amendment would also require the state of California to provide free voter ID cards that can be used to cast a ballot, and would enforce the maintenance of accurate voter registration lists by the secretary of state and election officials. If approved, the amendment would make California the 37th U.S. state to require voter ID during elections, and the 10th U.S. state to support a voter ID ballot measure.
Background
Currently, the state constitution limits voting to U.S. citizens, though proof of citizenship is not required unless a voter has become a U.S. citizen less than 15 days before an election. During the voter registration process, individuals must provide a form of ID and attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.[1] California is one of only 14 U.S. states that does not require identification while voting on election day.[2]
On April 24, 2026, state officials announced that the initiative had qualified for the November ballot after supporters submitted over 1.3 million signatures.[3][4][5]
Three other states – Nevada, North Carolina, and Oklahoma – will also see voter ID measures on their November 2026 ballots.[6]
Impact
The initiative would amend the state constitution to enforce the use of government-issued ID while voting in-person, and the use of the last four digits of a government-issued ID number when voting by mail.[3] Additionally, it would mandate the maintenance of accurate voter registration lists by the secretary of state and county election officials, and require the state of California to provide free ID cards upon request to voters casting a ballot.[3]
The voter ID initiative would also authorize the California legislature to enact laws that would force compliance with the amendment, and permit citizens to seek judicial review if they feel the state of California or any county within it is failing to comply with the amendment.[7] Additionally, the state auditor would be required to publicly audit state and county compliance every second year.[7]
Endorsements
- Executive branch officials
- Bill Essayli, first assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District of California (2025–present) (Republican)[8]
- U.S. representatives
- Ken Calvert, CA-41 (1993–present) (Republican)[9]
- Statewide officials
- Ken Cuccinelli, former attorney general of Virginia (2010–2014) (Republican)[10]
- Bill Jones, former secretary of state of California (1995–2003) (Republican)[11]
- State legislators
- Juan Alanis, AD-22 (2022–present) (Republican)[12]
- Leticia Castillo, AD-58 (2024–present) (Republican)[13]
- Carl DeMaio, AD-75 (2024–present) (Republican)[3]
- Jeff Gonzalez, AD-36 (2024–present) (Republican)[14]
- Alexandra Macedo, AD-33 (2024–present) (Republican)[3]
- Tony Strickland, SD-19 (2008–2012) and SD-36 (2025–present) (Republican)[3]
- David Tangipa, AD-08 (2024–present) (Republican)[3]
- Local officials
- Donald P. Wagner, Orange County supervisor from the 3rd district (2019–present) (Republican)[15]
- Individuals
- Richard Uihlein, CEO of Uline[16]
- Organizations
- Political parties
- Newspapers
- Executive branch officials
- Xavier Becerra, former U.S. secretary of health and human services (2021–2025) (Democratic)[19]
- U.S. Senators
- Alex Padilla, California (2021–present) (Democratic)[20]
- Statewide officials
- Shirley Weber, secretary of state of California (2021–present) (Democratic)[21]
- State legislators
- Isaac Bryan, majority leader of the state assembly (2023) from AD-55 (2021–present) (Democratic)[22]
- Sabrina Cervantes, SD-31 (2024–present) (Democratic)[22]
- Monique Limón, president pro tempore of the state senate (2025–present) from SD-21 (2020–present) (Democratic)[23]
- Robert A. Rivas, speaker of the state assembly (2023–present) from AD-29 (2018–present) (Democratic)[24]
- Scott Wiener, SD-11 (2016–present) (Democratic)[22]
- Individuals
- Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the UC Berkeley School of Law[25]
- Rusty Hicks, chair of the California Democratic Party[26]
- Dolores Huerta, labor leader[27]
- Dan Newman, political consultant[28]
- Labor unions
- California Labor Federation[29]
- California Nurses Association[23]
- California School Employees Association[30]
- California Teachers Association[24]
- SEIU California[24]
- Organizations
- ACLU of Northern California[25]
- ACLU of Southern California[25]
- Asian Law Caucus[31]
- Common Cause California[25]
- Courage California[32]
- Equality California[23]
- League of Women Voters of California[33]
- Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California[24]
- Sierra Club Angeles[34]
- VoteRiders[27]
- Political parties
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[a] |
Margin of error |
Support | Oppose | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkeley IGS[35] | August 3–9, 2026 | 2,310 (LV) | ± 2.5% | 42% | 51% | 7% |
| Public Policy Institute of California[36] | May 14–18, 2026 | 986 (LV) | ± 3.2% | 49% | 51% | – |
| Berkeley IGS[37][b] | April 9–18, 2026 | 5,962 (RV) | ± 2.0% | 56% | 39% | 6% |
| Berkeley IGS[39][c] | March 9–15, 2026 | 5,109 (RV) | ± 2.0% | 44% | 45% | 12% |
Notes
- ↑ Key:
A – all adults
RV – registered voters
LV – likely voters
V – unclear - ↑ Poll sponsored by the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund,[37] which opposes the voter ID initiative.[38]
- ↑ Poll sponsored by the Los Angeles Times.[40]
References
- ↑ "Voter Registration". Secretary of State of California. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
- ↑ "Voter identification laws by state". Ballotpedia. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Taglieri, Joe (April 27, 2026). "Voter ID ballot measure qualifies for November election". Hey SoCal. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
- ↑ "Republican-Backed California Voter ID Measure Makes It On November Ballot". SFist. April 28, 2026. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
- ↑ Lathan, Nadia (March 10, 2026). "A Republican-backed push for voter ID gains momentum in California". CalMatters. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
- 1 2 "California Voter Identification, Citizenship Verification, and Registered Voter List Administration Initiative (2026)". Ballotpedia. April 9, 2026. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
- 1 2 "California's Voter ID Initiative is Way More Chill Than Trump's SAVE Act". Independent Voter News. March 10, 2026. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
- ↑ "CA Voter ID Initiative Officially Qualifies for November 2026 Ballot – California Globe". California Globe. April 24, 2026. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
- ↑ "Proposal to require Californians to show ID to vote could be on November ballot". ABC7 Los Angeles. March 3, 2026. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
- ↑ Cuccinelli, Ken (August 17, 2026). "Proposition 39, the voter ID proposal, is common sense — except to Sacramento politicians". California Post. Retrieved August 19, 2026.
- ↑ Jones, Bill (August 7, 2026). "How a stronger voter ID law can alleviate doubts in California's election system". CalMatters. Retrieved August 18, 2026.
- ↑ "GOP Targets Voter ID, Election Reform After Prop. 50 win". State Affairs. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
- ↑ Shannon, Madeline (March 3, 2026). "California Voter ID measure gets over 1 million signatures". The Center Square. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
- ↑ Villero, Joselito N. (October 14, 2025). "Residents rally in support of CA voter ID initiative and against Prop. 50". The Desert Review. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
- ↑ Gutierrez, Melody (May 1, 2026). "Your guide to the California secretary of state race: Democrat Shirley Weber vs. Republican Don Wagner". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 2, 2026.
- ↑ "Proposition 39". CalMatters. Retrieved August 18, 2026.
- ↑ "Endorsements". CAGOP. April 29, 2026. Retrieved June 18, 2026.
- ↑ "We must pass voter ID — it is simply common sense". California Post. April 25, 2026. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
- ↑ Katzenberger, Tyler; Holden, Lindsey (April 27, 2026). "Labor takes another swing at Prop 22". POLITICO. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
- ↑ Parsley, Haley (July 9, 2026). "California Sen. Alex Padilla champions efforts to defeat proposed voter ID laws". Hanford Sentinel. Retrieved July 9, 2026.
- ↑ "McClatchy Media endorses a proven leader for California secretary of state". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
Weber, for her part, opposes both the statewide initiative and a similar federal initiative, called the SAVE Act.
- 1 2 3 Miranda, Matthew (August 19, 2026). "California Democrats rally opposition to voter ID measure, call it Trump-led effort". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved August 19, 2026.
- 1 2 3 "California Proposition 39, Voter Identification, Citizenship Verification, and Registered Voter List Administration Initiative (2026)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 3, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Mason, Melanie (July 27, 2026). "California Dems ramp up anti-voter ID fight". Politico. Retrieved July 27, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "Voter ID appears headed for California's November ballot. What you should know". Los Angeles Times. March 2, 2026. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
- 1 2 Ponce, Chris (August 2, 2026). "California Democrats endorse billionaire tax, discuss other upcoming ballot propositions". KUSI-TV. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
- 1 2 McCarthy, Will (August 17, 2026). "California Dems rally the troops against Prop 39". Politico. Retrieved August 18, 2026.
- ↑ Jones, Blake; Mason, Melanie; Gardiner, Dustin (July 9, 2026). "When will the Williamson fallout end?". Politico. Retrieved July 27, 2026.
- ↑ "Labor 2026 General Election Endorsement Recommendations". California Labor Federation. Retrieved August 18, 2026.
- ↑ "CSEA Statewide Endorsements". California School Employees Association. Retrieved July 21, 2026.
- ↑ Braun, Sara (March 3, 2026). "Republican initiative for voter ID in California gathers enough support for ballot measure". The Guardian. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
- ↑ Chavez, Angela (April 24, 2026). "Voting Rights Groups Vow to Defeat MeasureRestricting Ballot Access". Courage California. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
- ↑ "What you need to know about California's voter ID initiative". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
- ↑ "Endorsements". Sierra Club. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
- ↑ "Release #2026-16 Billionaires Tax and Voter ID Initiatives". Berkeley IGS Poll. August 14, 2026. Retrieved August 17, 2026.
- ↑ "Becerra, Hilton Lead Governor's Race; Majority Back Billionaire Wealth Tax". Public Policy Institute of California. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
- 1 2 "Release #2026-07: State of Democracy". Berkeley IGS Poll. April 24, 2026. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
- ↑ "Protecting the Right to Vote". Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund. March 17, 2026. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
- ↑ DiCamillo, Mark (March 19, 2026). "Release #2026-03: November Ballot Propositions". Berkeley IGS Poll. Retrieved March 20, 2026.
- ↑ "California's proposed billionaire tax gains majority support in new poll, with a partisan split on voter ID". Los Angeles Times. March 19, 2026. Retrieved March 20, 2026.