Letter to the Editor
Our Elections Are Secure.
Prop. 39 would just be a barrier to voting.
To the editor: Guest contributor Bill Jones argues that Proposition 39 would be “a service” to California elections, allowing the state to rebuild trust with its voters (“California needs common-sense ID law to ensure votes count,” Sept. 24). As a native Californian, attorney and voting rights advocate who founded the nation’s leading organization focused on voter ID, I know that introducing a voter ID requirement is not “common sense,” but rather an unnecessary barrier that has the potential to block millions of eligible California voters from the ballot box.
A well-substantiated recent study found that roughly one in five Californians has a license that is expired, outdated or issued in another state. Proposition 39 could therefore result in 4.5 million voting-age citizens with an ID that likely does not match their voter registration — 4.5 million voters who could be turned away at their pollsite if Proposition 39 passes.
Voter ID laws shut eligible voters out of the democratic process and are particularly hard-hitting for young voters, low-income citizens, voters of color, voters with disabilities and elderly adults who no longer drive. For example, 35% (more than 1 million) of Californians ages 18-24 do not have a license at all! These numbers are staggering.
As someone with eyes and ears on the ground, I know the reality is that California’s current electoral system is already secure and trustworthy. When citizens register to vote, they must provide identifying details and attest to their eligibility, including their citizenship status. In a country where we’re lucky if only 50% of the electorate turns out in any given election, we cannot afford to make voting even more difficult, which is exactly what Proposition 39 would do.
Kathleen Unger, Santa Monica
This writer is the founder of VoteRiders, a nonprofit specializing in voter education and assistance in obtaining voter identification.
