Voter Integrity? Californians Can Use Their Gym Memberships to Vote

People can use something as low-security and easy to fake as a gym membership to vote in California, a new investigative report reveals.

Californians don’t need something as trustworthy as a Social Security number or state-issued driver’s license to vote, The Federalist’s Elections Correspondent Brianna Lyman reported Tuesday.

Lyman made the discovery by reviewing the California secretary of state’s website and speaking with one of its staffers. 

She then confirmed the details via email, her article explains:

“In response to my email, the secretary of state’s press office affirmed that if “an applicant cannot be validated [using his driver’s license number or SSN], they are required to show ID at the polls the first time they vote.

“The email directed me to a state statute that lists acceptable documents with which voters who have no SSN or driver’s license may prove their identity.”

Examples of the types of documents that can be presented in order to vote include:

• A health club identification card.
• A student identification card.
• A tuition statement.
• A lease or rental statement or agreement.
• A drug prescription.

However, the types of acceptable documents “are not limited to” the list provided by the state statute.

What’s more, the statute should be interpreted “liberally” to allow as many people as possible to vote.

And, even if there is reason to believe that the document presented is not adequate proof of eligibility to vote, the person shall be deemed eligible to do so, anyway, the statute mandates:

“This section shall be liberally construed to permit voters and new registrants to cast a regular ballot.

“Any doubt as to the sufficiency of proof or a document presented shall be resolved in favor of permitting the voter or new registrant to cast a regular ballot.”

https://mrctv.org/blog/craig-bannister/voter-integrity-californians-can-use-their-gym-memberships-vote