California Voter Guide Language Criticized for Partisan Attacks on Proposition 39

Language used by opponents of California's Proposition 39, a ballot measure concerning voter identification, has sparked controversy due to its inclusion of politically charged phrases, including references to "MAGA billionaires" and a "voter suppression agenda."

Proposition 39, a citizen-led initiative by Californians for Voter ID, will appear on the November ballot. If passed, it would mandate that voters present a government-issued identification card or number when voting in person or by mail, and would require election officials to verify U.S. citizenship.

The voter guide, an official publication by the California Secretary of State, features arguments from groups both for and against the proposition. The section opposing the measure, attributed to groups like the ACLU California Action, Common Cause, and the League of Women Voters of California, states: "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." It concludes with the statement, "Don’t let MAGA billionaires decide which voters count. Vote No."

Supporters of Proposition 39, including the Transparency Foundation, Latino American Political Assn, and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, argue that the measure offers a "bipartisan solution for Voter ID" that will "increase trust and confidence in our elections."

The voter guide also outlines the financial implications, estimating "costs of between tens of millions of dollars and low hundreds of millions of dollars each year to implement new voting requirements." A "yes" vote on the measure means voters would need to provide additional identifying information, while a "no" vote means a voter's identity would continue to be established by signature.

A 2025 Pew Research study indicated that 83% of Americans support voter ID laws. The inclusion of the partisan language in the official voter guide drew sharp criticism online, with users on social media platform X expressing dismay. One user described the language as "so dark that this is the level of discourse in the OFFICIAL California voters guide," while another stated, "Democracy is a farce in California."

If approved, Proposition 39 would require election officials to use government data to verify U.S. citizenship and publish annual reports on citizenship verification rates. The California State Auditor would also be mandated to conduct regular compliance audits.

Early voting in California is currently underway. Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and the office of California Governor Gavin Newsom for comment but received no response by the time of publication.