AB 25: California Voter ID and Election Integrity Act of 2025.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

(1)Under the California Constitution, a person may vote if the person is a United States citizen, at least 18 years of age, and a resident in the state. Existing law authorizes a person to prove citizenship for voting purposes by certification under penalty of perjury on the person’s affidavit of voter registration.

This bill would repeal the authorization for a person to prove citizenship by certification and would instead require a person to provide appropriate documentation of citizenship with the affidavit of registration. The bill would prohibit an elections official from registering to vote a person who does not provide appropriate documentation of citizenship or a person whose citizenship cannot be verified based on the documentation provided. The bill would require an elections official to verify the citizenship of voters registered to vote in the county as of January 1, 2026, and would authorize the elections official to require a person to provide documentation of citizenship for that purpose. By increasing the duties of county elections officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The bill would require the State Auditor to periodically review a random sample of a county’s roster of voters to identify persons listed on the roster who are not qualified electors in that county.

(2)Existing law prohibits a local government from enacting or enforcing any charter provision, ordinance, or regulation requiring a person to present identification for the purpose of voting.

This bill would repeal that prohibition. The bill would instead require a person desiring to vote at a polling place to present a valid government-issued form of identification to a precinct board member before the person may vote. The bill would require a person voting a vote by mail ballot to include on the ballot identification envelope the last 4 digits of the voter’s valid government-issued form of identification. The bill would require an elections official, before processing and counting a vote by mail ballot, to confirm that the last 4 digits of the voter’s form of identification listed on the identification envelope match the voter’s form of identification listed on the voter’s affidavit of registration. By increasing the duties of county elections officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

(3)Existing law requires an elections official, upon receiving a vote by mail ballot, to compare the signature on the ballot identification envelope with the signature appearing on specified voter registration records to determine if the signatures compare, as provided. If the elections official determines that the signatures do not match, or if the envelope does not contain a signature, existing law requires the elections official, no later than 8 days before the certification of the election, to mail a notice to the voter of the opportunity to verify the voter’s signature or provide a signature, as applicable.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Republican 2

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. April 9, 2025From committee: Without further action pursuant to Joint Rule 62(a).
2. April 9, 2025In committee: Reconsideration refused.
3. April 9, 2025In committee: Set, first hearing. Failed passage.
4. February 25, 2025Re-referred to Com. on ELECTIONS.
5. February 24, 2025From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on ELECTIONS. Read second time and amended.
6. February 24, 2025Referred to Coms. on ELECTIONS and JUD.
7. December 3, 2024From printer. May be heard in committee January 2.
8. December 2, 2024Read first time. To print.