California Voter Guide Slams Trump Supporters in Voter ID Debate

Clear Facts

• Proposition 39 would require government-issued ID to vote in person or by mail and verify U.S. citizenship for all ballots.
• Opponents of the measure used the official California voter guide to claim the initiative advances “Trump’s voter suppression agenda” and warns against “MAGA billionaires.”
• A 2025 Pew Research study found 83 percent of Americans support voter ID requirements.

A California ballot measure on voter identification has drawn criticism for partisan language embedded in the official voter guide.

Proposition 39, backed by 1.3 million signatures, asks voters to require government-issued identification or a matching ID number for in-person and mail ballots, along with citizenship verification.

The language opposing the measure in the state voter guide begins with a direct attack on the initiative.

“No on Prop. 39,” begins the arguments section on the ballot initiative. “This would advance Trump’s voter suppression agenda by adding costly, unnecessary barriers that could block eligible California voters, expose personal information to identity theft, and waste hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars.”

“Don’t let MAGA billionaires decide which voters count. Vote No,” it concludes.

Opponents listed in the guide include ACLU California Action, Common Cause, and the League of Women Voters of California.

Supporters of the measure counter with a bipartisan message in their own section.

“Yes on Prop. 39 gives California a BIPARTISAN solution for VOTER ID,” their argument section says. “Supported by a solid majority of Democratic, Independent and Republican voters. Increases trust and confidence in our elections.”

Supporters listed include the Transparency Foundation, Latino American Political Assn, and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.

The summary section warns of annual costs ranging from tens of millions to low hundreds of millions of dollars to implement the new requirements.

A “What Your Vote Means” section explains that a yes vote would require voters to present additional identifying information each time they vote, while a no vote would continue to rely only on a voter’s signature.

Early voting is already underway in California ahead of the November 3 election.

If approved, the measure would mandate presentation of government-issued ID for in-person voting, require the last four digits of a government-issued ID for mail ballots, and require annual citizenship verification reports by county.

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