Backers say the initiative would “restore public trust,” while civil liberties groups warn it could create new barriers and rejected ballots.
Riverside, CA – Supporters of a California voter identification ballot initiative turned in what they said were more than 1.3 million petition signatures Monday outside the Riverside County Registrar of Voters headquarters, a milestone that could put the proposal before voters in the Nov. 3 election if enough signatures are validated. The initiative needs roughly 87,000 valid signatures to qualify.
Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona, attended the Riverside event and wrote on X, “I am here this morning in Riverside County turning in 1.3 million signatures for the CA Voter ID initiative,” adding that he supported the effort alongside Californians for Voter ID, San Diego County Assemblymember Carl DeMaio, state Sen. Tony Strickland, and volunteers.
The proposal, filed as Initiative 25-0007A1, is a proposed constitutional amendment. The California Attorney General’s title and summary describe it as establishing “additional voter identification and citizenship verification requirements.”
DeMaio, who leads Reform California and has spearheaded the campaign, framed the effort as a defining moment. “This initiative is the turning point. This initiative is about people rising up and saying, ‘We want a better government.’ We want trust and confidence back in our election,” he said at the event.
Strickland, who has consistently supported voter ID throughout his time on the Huntington Beach City Council, to his time in the Assembly and Senate, wrote on X, “Shame on Democratic legislators already scheming to undermine a people’s initiative before it even reaches the ballot. Over 70% of Americans support requiring proof of citizenship to vote. When will they learn?”
A version of the initiative text is posted by the Attorney General’s office. California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley N. Weber’s office previously announced that the initiative had been cleared to begin collecting signatures on Sept. 19, 2025.
Backers say the change is intended to strengthen election integrity.
Calvert warned at the event that “If Californians lose confidence in the integrity of our elections, we’re at risk of losing faith in the foundation that upholds the system of government.”
According to polling from the Pew Research Center, a majority of Americans support voter ID requirements for in-person voting, reflecting broad public interest in election safeguards.
The Riverside event reflects a growing grassroots push across the country as voters look ahead to upcoming election cycles and debates over election law reform intensify.
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