For Immediate Release
October 21, 2026
Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, League of Women Voters of California, Planned Parenthood Advocacy Project Los Angeles, and Labor and Community Leaders Call on Californians to “Vote NO on Prop 39,” Citing Negative Impact on Women Voters
LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, League of Women Voters of California Executive Director Jenny Farrell, United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals President Charmaine S. Morales, RN, Planned Parenthood Advocacy Project LA County Vice President of Public Affairs Claudia Powell, and West Hollywood City Councilmember Chelsea Byers joined community organizations and women leaders in Los Angeles Wednesday, October 21 to urge Californians to vote “NO on Prop 39.” Elected and community leaders spoke to the importance of opposing the Trump-driven ballot measure that would make voting harder, less secure, and more expensive for Californians—with an acutely negative impact on women voters.
“Proposition 39 is yet another assault on our democracy by Donald Trump and his MAGA cronies. It is a Trump-driven, MAGA-funded power grab. Nothing more, nothing less,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath. “It will make voting in California harder, less secure, and more expensive–and it’s you, the taxpayers, who are going to have to pay for it.”
At least $25 million in support of Proposition 39 has come from just two prominent MAGA donors and allies of President Trump.
“Nearly 30% of U.S. adults have changed their name, with women making up 94% of this group,” said Jenny Farrell, Executive Director of the League of Women Voters of California. “Prop 39 will be particularly harmful to voters whose identification documents may not perfectly match current information on file. That includes a whole lot of women who have changed their names after marriage or divorce.”
Prop 39’s effects will be disproportionately felt by millions of women who change their names as a result of marriage or divorce, as well as seniors, students, and low-income workers.
“Our union is about ensuring health care workers and patients have a voice. Our vote is our voice. This proposition takes a secure voting process and adds more hurdles. It’s a desperate, sneaky ploy funded by billionaires and we cannot let that happen,” said United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals President Charmaine S. Morales, RN.
“The challenge in California is not that it’s too easy to vote. It’s that too many people are already left out,” continued Morales. “This measure will make it harder for the sick, the elderly, and working people—especially women—to exercise their Constitutionally protected right to vote. That is not how democracy works. Vote NO on Prop 39.”
More than 80% of Californians choose to vote by mail currently. Prop 39 would require mail voters to include the last four digits of a personally identifying number on their ballot envelope, putting voters at risk for identity theft.
“Planned Parenthood will continue to advocate for women’s right to vote,” said Planned Parenthood Advocacy Project Los Angeles County Vice President of Public Affairs Claudia Powell. “Make your plan. Make your voice count. Vote no on Prop 39.”
The independent Legislative Analyst Office (LAO) estimates that Prop 39 would cost California taxpayers at least tens of millions of dollars a year and up to hundreds of millions of dollars a year.
“There is another shady side to Proposition 39: the cost to voters and the state. Rather than bettering the lives of our people, Prop 39 would invest millions of dollars into creating an entirely new voter system that we are not asking for and don’t need,” said West Hollywood City Councilmember Chelsea Byers. “The cost to voters will come in the form of slashed programs and services we don’t get.”
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