Prop 39: Requires Voters Show ID to Cast A Ballot

Bay Curious

The episode examines California's Proposition 39, a ballot measure that would require voters to present government-issued identification when casting ballots in person or mail-in. Hosts Erika

Key takeaways

• Proposition 39 would amend the California state constitution to require a government-issued ID for in-person voting or the last four digits of an ID on mail-in ballot envelopes.
• Republican lawmakers introduced the measure, citing low public trust in elections and framing it as a common-sense reform supported by Democrats and independents who signed petitions.

Main topics

• Proposition 39 voter ID requirements
• Election integrity and voter confidence

Notable quotes

Whether there or isn't fraud going on, it's undeniable that voter confidence in elections is incredibly low.

Conclusion

The episode provides a balanced breakdown of Prop 39's legal mechanics,

Transcript preview

Speaker 4 (0:01) From KQED. Speaker 5 (0:03) A reporter receives a shocking tip about something that happened inside a woman's prison. He starts asking questions, and what she uncovers is far bigger than one disturbing event. A deeply entrenched system, the people it protects, and the women who risk everything to challenge it from the inside. Snap Studios and KQED present We Are Jane Doe, a three-part investigative series. Listen on Snap Judgment wherever you get your podcasts. Speaker 8 (0:33) Who is going to win control of Congress this November? And what is it going to mean for the final two years of Donald Trump's disruptive presidency? I'm Susan Glasser. I'm Jane Mayer. Speaker 1 (0:44) And I'm Evan Osnos. We host the Washington Roundtable on the New Yorker's Political Scene podcast. Speaker 8 (0:50) We're following what key races could tip the balance of power in Washington this fall. We're also going to go deep on the influence of dark money. and tech billionaires. So Speaker 1 (1:00) join us in the run-up to the midterms in 2026. Subscribe to The Political Scene wherever you get your podcasts. Speaker 1 (1:09) Pelosi. Whether you love her. One of the best speakers the House of Representatives have ever had. Or hate her. Speaker 5 (1:16) That crazy Nancy. She is crazy. Speaker 1 (1:18) She's a force to be reckoned with. Speaker 8 (1:20) We're not letting anything stand in our way. Speaker 1 (1:23) From KQED, part of the NPR network, The Speaker. How Nancy Pelosi changed the face of power. Find it wherever you get your podcasts. Speaker 4 (1:33) Right now, when you cast a ballot in California, you don't need to show identification. Prop 39 seeks to change that. This Speaker 3 (1:41) is one of the most hotly contested issues on this year's ballot, in part because President Donald Trump has also been talking about new voter ID laws. Speaker 5 (1:53) It's very simple. All voters must show voter ID. Speaker 4 (2:01) Is this a common sense way to make voting more secure or an attempt to suppress the vote? That's for you to decide. This is Speaker 3 (2:10) how Proposition 39 reads on your ballot. Speaker 8 (2:13) Proposition 39 prohibits citizens from voting unless they present government-issued identification. Speaker 3 (2:20) I'm Erika Cruz-Gavara, host Speaker 4 (2:22) of The Speaker 3 (2:23) Bay. Speaker 4 (2:23) And I'm Olivia Allen Price, host of Bay Curious. Speaker 3 (2:26) We are back with another edition of PropFest, where our teams break down each statewide proposition on the California ballot. Way to hang in there this week. We talked about a lot of ballot measures. But Speaker 4 (2:39) there's one last one to talk about this week before we head into the weekend, and it's one of the most contentious. Speaker 4 (2:48) Here to help us understand Prop 39 is reporter Izzy Bloom from KQED's Politics Desk. Welcome, Izzy. Hi. Proposition 39 is an amendment to the state constitution about how we vote in the state. Before we dive into specifics, who put us on the Speaker 2 (3:05) ballot and why now? So nationally, we've seen a lot of conversations in recent years about election integrity, especially from President Donald Trump and his allies who are pushing voter ID requirements nationally and attempting to restrict mail-in voting. So this was put on the ballot by Republican lawmakers in California who want to increase voter confidence in elections by adding new ID requirements. Break down for us what exactly Prop 39 would do. So the measure would amend the state constitution to require Californians present a government issued ID when voting in person. So that would be something like a driver's license or social security number. Or if they're voting by mail, they would need to write the last four digits of an ID number on their ballot envelope. Right now, California only requires ID or social security number when registering to vote. It would also require the secretary of state and county election officials. to verify voters' citizenship and report every