Exposing California's Flawed Voter ID Verification Process and Its Vulnerability to Forgery
Updated: Sep 7
California’s voter identity verification process claims to protect election integrity, but the reality reveals a system riddled with weaknesses. The state’s regulations set a low bar for verifying signatures, creating an environment where forgery can easily slip through. Data from recent elections in Riverside County exposes how this permissive approach leads to thousands of questionable ballots passing initial checks. This post breaks down the process, highlights alarming statistics, and explains why California’s current system fails to secure our votes.
California’s Signature Verification Rules Leave Too Much Room for Error
California’s election code requires signature verification on mail-in ballots but sets minimal standards for what counts as a valid match. The process starts with the assumption the signature is the voter’s signature. According to California Code of Regulations, Title 2, Section 20110, election officials compare the signature on the ballot envelope with the voter’s signature on file. The regulation allows for “similar characteristics” to be considered sufficient, and only a few, e.g. 2-3 characteristics need match the reference signature to accept the ballot signature.
This low threshold means that even signatures with significant differences can be accepted. The state’s own rules require multiple officials to review and confirm forgery “beyond a reasonable doubt,” but the initial presumption favors acceptance. This approach opens the door for forged or mismatched signatures to be counted as valid votes.
Riverside County’s Data Shows the System’s Weaknesses in Practice
Riverside County’s experience during the November 2025 Proposition 50 special election reveals the consequences of these lax standards. The county’s own challenge data shows:
Challenge Reason | Count |
No Signature | 778 |
Signature Did Not Match | 8,336 |
Total Challenged | 9,114 |
Over 8,300 ballot envelopes were flagged for signature mismatches in a single county during one election. These ballots passed the initial presumption of validity and only got challenged after further review. This number is staggering given the “most permissive standard” California applies compared to other states.
A brief citizen audit of the signature verification process for four reviewers during the March 5, 2024 primary election found signature review rates by election workers varied from 120 ballots per hour to 254 ballots per hour. The reject rate varied from zero ballots to 29% of ballots. Granted this was a limited sample, but the variation from reviewer to reviewer was unacceptable.
Automated Signature Verification Reveals Even Higher Failure Rates
To improve accuracy, Riverside County introduced an automated signature verification pilot using ReliaVote technology during the Prop 50 election. The pilot set a confidence threshold at 45, meaning signatures scoring below this level were flagged for review. The results were alarming:
Passed Auto Signature Verification (45 threshold): 227,704 ballots
Failed Auto Signature Verification (45 threshold): 270,621 ballots
Failure rate: 54%
During the initial automated check, over half of the submitted ballots were flagged for failure. When questioned about this high rejection rate, the Registrar of Voters (ROV) stated that they were relying on a threshold used in other jurisdictions. However, when asked to provide reliability data or a measurement capability study supporting the threshold for accepted and rejected signatures, the ROV admitted to having no data to back up this baseline. This unquestioned reliance on an unverified threshold raises major concerns regarding the dependability of the automated verification system.
When asked if a sample of reviewers would undergo a test to see how accurately they can detect a fraudulent signature, they declined. Signature reviewers are trained but not tested to verify their skill at detecting bad signatures.
What Happens After a Signature Fails Verification?
When a ballot fails signature verification, election officials send a “cure letter” to the voter, giving them a chance to confirm their identity and fix the issue. However, data on how many voters respond and successfully cure their ballots is critical to understanding the real impact of these failures.
Number of cure letters sent: [Data needed]
Number of ballots cured: [Data needed]
Are ballots that go un-cured fraudulent, or did the voter just decide to not reply?
Without this information, it’s impossible to know how many legitimate votes are lost or how many potentially fraudulent ballots are ultimately accepted.
The Real-World Impact on Voter Confidence and Election Integrity
The combination of an un-validated verification threshold, a high acceptance rate in automated checks, and incomplete data on ballot curing creates a perfect storm. Voters have little assurance their ballots are being properly verified, and the system’s leniency invites potential forgery.
Riverside County’s experience is a warning sign for the entire state. If thousands of ballots with mismatched signatures can pass initial checks, the risk of fraudulent votes influencing election outcomes grows. This undermines public trust and weakens the foundation of democracy.
What Needs to Change
To protect the integrity of California’s elections, the state must:
Raise the standards for signature verification to require stronger proof of identity. For example, the voter could be required to include a verification code with the ballot similar to the CVV code on a credit card.
Review the vendor’s measurement capability studies based on threshold levels.
Increase transparency by publishing detailed data on cure letter responses and ballot curing rates.
Verify signature reviewers skills by testing and certifying them before each election.
Vote ‘yes’ to pass the Voter ID initiative on the November ballot.
Without these changes, California’s voter ID verification process will remain vulnerable to forgery and error, putting every election at risk.
California’s current voter ID verification process is not just flawed; it is dangerously permissive. The data from Riverside County’s recent elections exposes a system that assumes validity without sufficient proof, allowing thousands of questionable ballots to slip through. Voters deserve a process that protects their voices and ensures every vote counts.
It is time for California to strengthen its verification rules and restore confidence in our elections.
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