California Voters Reject MAGA-backed Proposition 39

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — With 49% of the vote counted, Proposition 39 – a Constitutional Amendment placed on the California ballot by Trump allies and right-wing MAGA billionaires – was headed for certain and resounding defeat at the hands of California voters by a margin of 20 percentage points (40% Yes | 60% No).

The Associated Press declared the measure a loser based on projections and the remainder of the vote yet to be counted.

“Donald Trump and his MAGA allies tried to make it harder for eligible Californians to vote,” said U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA). “Tonight, California voters said HELL NO. The defeat of Proposition 39 is a victory for voting rights, our democracy, and every eligible voter who deserves to have their voice heard.”

The Trump-inspired Constitutional Amendment, placed on the ballot by Trump allies and MAGA billionaires, would have upended California elections by making voting harder, less secure and more expensive.

“California voters fought to protect our democracy and access to the ballot box and we won by rejecting Prop 39. California sent a resounding message to those who would try to roll back our voting rights: hands off our elections!” said David Trujillo, Executive Director of ACLU California Action.

Had Proposition 39 passed, its effects would have been disproportionately felt by seniors, students, low-income workers, those with disabilities, and millions of women who have changed their names as a result of marriage or divorce.

“Californians voted against adding more hurdles to exercising their Constitutionally-protected right to vote. They said ‘no’ to the wasteful spending that Prop 39’s requirements would have mandated at a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars a year to California taxpayers,” said Jenny Farrell, Executive Director, League of Women Voters of California.

The independent Legislative Analyst Office (LAO) estimated that Prop 39 would have cost California taxpayers at least tens of millions of dollars a year and up to hundreds of millions of dollars a year at a time when the state is already navigating revenue drops and budget deficits.

“Californians used their voice and their vote to reject Trump’s agenda and his anti-democracy tactics,” said Darius Kemp, Executive Director, Common Cause California. “Californians demonstrated that our state and our democracy are resilient – even in the face of real-time attacks driven by Trump’s Department of Justice in the middle of an election.”

More than 80% of Californians choose to vote by mail currently. Prop 39 would have required mail voters to include the last four digits of a personally identifying number on their ballot envelope, putting voters at risk for identity theft. It would have increased chances for valid ballots to be rejected, slowed ballot counting, and resulted in longer wait times at the polls.

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Paid for by ACLU of Northern California Issues Committee. Ad Committee’s Top Funder: ACLU Foundation of Northern California.