STATE — A formal push to require voter identification kicked off this week after an announcement from Assemblyman Carl DeMaio (R-San Diego) and State Sen. Tony Strickland (R-Huntington Beach).
The two legislators announced their voter initiative to get the measure on the ballot for the 2026 election. During a press conference on Wednesday, DeMaio said the effort will need more than 1 million signatures to place on the ballot. He is raising money and holding a volunteer drive on his Reform California website.
DeMaio said he expects the initiative to start on Oct. 1.
The measure would amend the state constitution to require a government-issued voter ID to be verified for any ballot counted and verification of citizenship for anyone registering to vote. DeMaio and former Assemblyman Bill Essayli (R-Corona) authored Assembly Bill 25 earlier this year, which was killed in the Assembly Elections Committee, so now DeMaio and Republicans are using the ballot initiative process.
“The state of California should keep accurate voter lists,” DeMaio said. “They should have a duty, not only to maintain accurate, updated voter lists, but also to do a citizen verification for anyone seeking to register for anyone in the state of California to vote.”
He and other state Republicans first announced their intention to put the voter ID issue on the ballot in March.
