KQED's Forum Should Californians Have to Show ID to Vote?
Mar 16, 2026
Lindsey Holden, a California politics reporter at Politico, explains the specifics and political context of the proposed voter ID initiative. Christian Grose, USC political scientist and elections expert, discusses evidence on fraud and how ID rules affect turnout. They walk through logistics, who stands to be affected, differing proposals, and the practical costs and consequences of implementing stricter ID requirements.
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DeMaio Has Ballot Measure Track Record
- Carl DeMaio has used ballot initiatives before to bypass the Democratic legislature.
- Lindsey Holden recounts his role in a successful 2018 recall in Orange County and long history with Reform California.
Winning In California Would Be Symbolic For Conservatives
- A California voter ID win would be symbolic and attract national conservative funding.
- Lindsey Holden notes Richard Uihlein and other out‑of‑state donors already backing the initiative.
Voter Fraud Is Empirically Rare
- Voter fraud in the U.S. is extremely rare according to empirical studies.
- Christian R. Grose explains true fraud (ballot-stuffing, impersonation) is uncommon while legal campaign practices are sometimes labeled fraud by proponents.