San Francisco and California Ballot Backstory · Why is this on my ballot?
Prop 39: summary
Prohibits Citizens from Voting Unless They Present Government-Issued Identification
Mark your own choices here. You may bring this sheet into the voting booth.
A YES vote means
In-person voters must show government ID. To vote by mail, voters must pick an ID; ballots count only if envelopes show its last four digits.
A NO vote means
Voters keep identifying themselves by signing. In-person voters typically sign a list of voters, and mail voters sign their ballot envelope.
Both ovals are empty on purpose. The choice is yours.
If it fails
Nothing changes if it fails
If Prop 39 fails, voting rules stay as they are. The Legislative Analyst (LAO) says voters in person typically sign a list. Officials generally do not check those signatures, but they do check mail ballot envelope signatures.
Why it’s on the ballot now
Every registered voter in California gets a mail ballot. In November 2024, about 13 million of the about 16 million voters used one.
Officials check signatures on mail ballots before counting them. They generally do not check signatures of in-person voters.
Today, a voter's identity is set when they register, using a driver's license number, state ID number, or last four digits of a Social Security number.
Voters in state and federal elections must be citizens, and officials must remove ineligible voters. Prop 39 requires "best efforts," using government data, to verify citizenship, with yearly county reports.
The measure's own findings, which argue for it, say it aims to build trust in elections and to deter and detect voter fraud.
The money
The Legislative Analyst (LAO) estimates costs of tens of millions to low hundreds of millions of dollars a year, under 0.25 percent of the state's General Fund. Any savings likely would not exceed the costs. Costs depend on later choices, such as the design of the free voter ID card and how many cards are requested. See the money chart for the latest filed totals.
Needs a simple majority (50% + 1) to pass Some measures need 55% or two-thirds of votes to pass. This one needs only a simple majority.Who bears the cost
State and local governments
The LAO estimates Prop 39 would add state and local costs of tens of millions to low hundreds of millions of dollars each year. That is under 0.25 percent of the state General Fund. The exact cost depends on future choices.
VotersNo new cost
The LAO says the state would give a voter identification card at no cost to voters who request one.
The strongest case for and against
Strongest case for
Supporters include the Transparency Foundation, the Latino American Political Association, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and the California Women's Leadership Association. They say voter ID would build trust in elections and is backed by Democratic, Independent and Republican voters. They say mail ballots stay, and any voter can get a free ID. They argue today's signature checks are slow and can keep votes from being counted. They say more than 100,000 ballots were rejected for signature mismatches in the last election. Supporters say Prop 39 improves the accuracy of voter lists and requires independent audits; the LAO says it could mean fewer registered voters, for example through removal of ineligible voters or of eligible voters without government ID. They also say voter ID states have not seen lower turnout.
Strongest case against
Opponents include ACLU California Action, Common Cause, the League of Women Voters of California and Senator Alex Padilla. They say one wrong digit could void a valid ballot. Mail voters must pick an ID; opponents say otherwise they may not get a mail ballot at all. They say a "free" ID costs travel, time off work and paperwork; seniors, students, low-income workers, voters of color and women who changed names at marriage fare worst. They say officials already verify voters; the LAO says mail ballot signatures are checked, but generally not in-person ones. Opponents say Texas threw out 12 times more mail ballots than California under such a rule, it could cost hundreds of millions yearly, and envelope ID numbers risk identity theft. They link it to Trump's election claims.