The California Secretary of State is investigating apparent voter petition fraud after a viral video showed a group in San Francisco illegally offering $5 for signatures — and even directing someone to use a fake name.
The wild clip shows a group manning a table near downtown San Francisco and instructing at least one person to sign a voter’s name from Avila Beach for $5 — a violation of state law.
The Secretary of State, which is responsible for vetting the signatures with help from local election offices, said it is illegal to offer cash for signatures and to knowingly file petitions that include forged signatures.
A group mans tables with voter initiative petitions near downtown San Francisco.
The Secretary of State’s office said that it cannot comment on an investigation, but its investigative unit “works closely with law enforcement when applicable to ensure those who abuse our system are held accountable.”
The probe comes as outraged Golden State Republicans and watchdog groups demand answers.
“We are looking into this ASAP and will explore further action,” wrote Assemblymember David Tangipa (R-Fresno) on X.
The matter “deserves a full investigation by the SF DA and the state AG,” added Yolo County prosecutor Jeff Reisig.
Harmeet Dhillon, a top Department of Justice official charged with election-related law enforcement, reacted to the petition fraud report with an “eyes” emoji on X.
Building a Better California is backed by billionaire Google co-founder Sergey Brin. Getty Images for Breakthrough Prize“We are aware of the video and want to emphasize that the integrity of our elections process is of paramount importance. However, we’re unable to comment on, even to confirm or deny, any potential or ongoing investigations,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office in an email.
The viral incident has put a spotlight on California’s voter initiative process, where organizations can sponsor initiatives and collect signatures to qualify for the ballot.
Building a Better California, a Sergey Brin-backed political group whose petitions were seen in the viral video from X user JJ Smith, needs to submit roughly 874,000 valid signatures by June for each of four initiatives it’s sponsoring to qualify for the ballot.
Building a Better California’s petitions are visible in the viral video. X / @ZavalaAIts initiatives include an affordable housing bond, a plan to close loopholes in schools funding, a measure to require regular audits of state spending and a ban on wealth taxes — intended as a “poison pill” to counteract the billionaire tax that has led some wealthy residents to leave the state.
It’s common for organizations to employ paid signature gatherers who make money for each signature they submit. It is illegal, however, to offer compensation for voter signatures or to knowingly submit petitions that include false signatures.
A woman is heard instructing someone to sign the name of a voter in Avila Beach. X / @ZavalaAPaul Mitchell, a Sacramento political consultant, described the viral incident on X as a “business fraud.”
It’s likely that “a street-level contractor is defrauding the contractor one level above them who is paying for the signatures,” he wrote.
Building a Better California said it demanded its signature-gathering firm identify the people circulating the petitions and referred the matter to the authorities.
“To be clear, we absolutely do not tolerate this or any type of fraudulent activity in the signature-gathering process,” it said.
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