There’s a new Republican-led effort to require California voters to show an ID in order to vote.
California Republicans say there needs to be more checks and balances to ensure the state’s 23 million registered voters are verified residents before they cast their ballot.
“Voter ID is about restoring not only internal controls to improve the process but restoring public trust and confidence in our democracy,” Assemblymember Carl DeMaio said.
DeMaio runs Reform California, a grassroots organization raising money to get a voter ID initiative on the ballot. If passed, voters would have to show government-issued ID or provide the last four of their social security number or driver’s license number to get a ballot.
DeMaio said his proposal has received bipartisan support.
“People are harboring concerns about how our elections are being conducted, and it’s hard to show and prove voter fraud because you don’t know how many votes are being fraudulently cast because there are no internal controls or checks,” he said.
DeMaio’s campaign will need around 875,000 signatures to qualify for the ballot.
Political analyst Larry Gerston said the efforts could cost millions and may be a hard sell for voters without any proof of widespread voter fraud.
“Very difficult to do,” he said, “I’m not going to say it won’t happen, but it’s an uphill fight, especially on an issue like this which doesn’t draw a whole lot of concern in California.
NBC Bay Area’s Velena Jones has more in the video report above.
