A proposed constitutional amendment in California, aiming to mandate photo ID and citizenship verification for voters, is closer to appearing on the ballot following the collection of over 1.3 million signatures statewide.
Proponents of the CA Voter ID Initiative are set to submit the signatures gathered from all 58 counties, initiating a verification process with each county’s voter registrar, as outlined in a statement from California Reform.
The verification is expected to wrap up by May. Should enough valid signatures be validated, this measure could be presented to voters in November 2026.
Currently, California voters generally aren’t required to show ID before casting their votes, according to the Secretary of State. However, first-time voters who register by mail—without providing a driver’s license number, California ID number, or the last four digits of their Social Security number—may be asked to show ID at their polling locations.
Organizers noted that this statewide signature drive began last November and lasted close to five months. In April 2025, a bill proposed by Republican Representatives Carl DeMaio and Bill Esseri, which sought to implement statewide voter ID and election integrity measures, was rejected by Democratic members of the California State Assembly.
The initiative, spearheaded by DeMaio through California Reform, positions itself as a grassroots effort aimed at pushing back against what they term “far-left politicians and special interests.”
If the measure passes in November, it would amend the California Constitution, establishing a requirement for a photo ID to vote in elections and ensuring that state election officials verify the citizenship status of registered voters, along with maintaining accurate voter rolls.
California remains one of just 14 states in the U.S. that does not require voter ID. The proposal seeks to ensure adherence to its provisions in future elections if it gains voter approval.
The next phase will involve signature verification by county election officials to confirm if the initiative meets criteria for the statewide ballot. A notable change would be that voters submitting mail-in ballots would need to include the last four digits of their ID number.
In the recent 2024 election, over 80% of voters in California cast their ballots by mail, a significantly higher figure compared to the national average of about 29%.
