California Attorney General Rob Bonta Rewrites Ballot Title to Undermine Prop 39 Voter ID Initiative

Proposition 39, the Voter Identification, Citizenship Verification, and Registered Voter List Administration Initiative, will appear on the November California ballot. The measure would require voters to present government‑issued identification or the last four digits of such ID on mail‑in ballots, provide state‑issued ID cards on request, and require election officials to verify citizenship for each registered voter. Polling shows roughly 70% of Californians support proof‑of‑citizenship requirements for first‑time registration and about 54% favor ID requirements for every election.

On July 21, California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a revised official ballot title for Prop 39. The new wording reads, “PROHIBITS CITIZENS FROM VOTING UNLESS THEY PRESENT GOVERNMENT‑ISSUED IDENTIFICATION…,” replacing the original language that described “additional voter identification and citizenship verification requirements.” Critics, including Republican Assemblyman Carl DeMaio, say the change is a “blatant attempt to rig the November election” and could cause voters to reject the measure despite strong public support.