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LOS ANGELES — <\/span>A proposal that would require California to verify proof of citizenship when a person registers to vote \u2014 and require voters to provide identification at polling places \u2014 will appear on the November ballot, state officials announced Friday.<\/p>\n The announcement comes amid a national debate over election security<\/a> and what type of requirements voters should face to show they are qualified to cast a ballot. In Congress, Republicans are pushing a strict proof-of-citizenship proposal<\/a> for residents to vote, encouraged by President Donald Trump. <\/p>\n The California plan \u2014 also backed by Republicans \u2014 is being pitched as a common sense idea to strengthen confidence in voting in a vast state with more than 23 million people registered to cast a ballot. State officials said its backers submitted sufficient petition signatures to qualify for the November ballot.<\/p>\n \u201cWe already show ID for everyday activities like flying, opening a bank account and picking up prescription medications. Thirty-six other states and many countries around the world already use voter ID,\u201d said state Sen. Tony Strickland, a Republican from Huntington Beach. <\/p>\n \u201cCalifornians deserve secure, transparent elections,\u201d added Strickland, a proponent of the proposal. <\/p>\n If approved in November in the heavily Democratic state, other provisions would require those who vote through popular mail-in ballots would have to give the last four digits of a government-issued ID, such as a Social Security number.<\/p>\n California is among 14 states and the District of Columbia that do not require voters to show some form of identification at the polls or to register to vote.<\/p>\n While California at times has faced questions from critics about the legitimacy of its vote tallies, research shows voter fraud<\/a> in the country is rare. Voting by noncitizens has occurred, but reviews of state cases<\/a> have shown it to be uncommon and typically a mistake rather than an intentional effort to sway an election. <\/p>\n Most California residents vote by mail, and in the pursuit of accuracy, thoroughness and counting every vote, the nation\u2019s most populous state has gained a reputation for tallies that can drag on for weeks \u2014 and sometimes longer.<\/p>\n The effort to tighten restrictions on voter registration and mail ballots will come in a critical election year, when Californians will be picking their next governor and with control of Congress on the line.<\/p>\n Opponents argued that such requirements make it more difficult for people to vote, especially the elderly, those with disabilities and those without driver\u2019s licenses.<\/p>\n The president continues to claim that he was not the loser in the 2020 presidential election<\/a> \u2014 and has long falsely said<\/a> the election was marred by widespread fraud. Trump\u2019s claims were rejected by dozens of judges<\/a>, including several he appointed. His own attorney general<\/a> and an exhaustive review<\/a> by The Associated Press found no evidence of widespread fraud that could have changed the results. Multiple reviews<\/a>, audits<\/a> and recounts<\/a> in the battleground states<\/a> where Trump disputed his loss confirmed Democrat Joe Biden\u2019s victory<\/a>, including several overseen by Republican lawmakers.<\/p>\n \u2014-<\/p>\n Associated Press writer Tr\u00e2n Nguy\u1ec5n contributed from Sacramento, California.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n