"Most people my age just kind of scribble." Signatures were a sticking point for young California voters this year

[nmmi]

LA Times, December 23, 2024 (no paywall with the MSN link)
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/most-people-my-age-just-kind-of-scribble-signatures-were-a-sticking-point-for-young-california-voters-this-year/ar-AA1wmuRu

The elections office told Johnson that his ballot signature didn't match another signature they had on file. Johnson wasn't sure which signature that was, but he knew it would have looked different: After printing his name for years, he perfected his cursive signature only a few months ago.

"Most people my age just kind of scribble," said Johnson, 20, who works as an administrative assistant at a medical imaging clinic.

In California, voters younger than 25 made up 10% of the November electorate, but had nearly 3 in 10 of the ballots set aside for signature issues, according to an analysis by the voter data firm Political Data Inc. ((so under 25 had 3 times the rate of signature issues compared to all ages -nmmi)) More than half of the state's ballots with signature issues were from voters younger than 35.

California generally verifies the identities of mail voters through their signatures. ((usually their signature on their voter registration paperwork or driver's license --nmmi))

And then how the parties, in the most competitive districts, help their voters with signature or other issues to "cure" their ballots so that they are counted. "Campaign volunteers and workers went door to door in the districts, trying to talk to voters in person and explaining how to complete the ballot paperwork, in some cases helping them navigate scanning in, printing out and returning the forms."

There is little effort made in non-competitive districts, or to help voters of other parties.

Everyone with signature issues is notified by election officials. But the "cure" rate is far higher when volunteers visit and help.

I found this very interesting --

"And we know that the way people sign at the little pad with their finger at the DMV is not how they really sign their names."

I just renewed my driver's license in Minnesota on Dec. 9. (The article is solely about California). I might have signed something with a little pad like this, e.g. acknowledging a convenience fee for using my credit card. But I signed some paper at the DMV the regular old-fashioned way, and that was, thankfully, the signature that ended up on my driver's license.

If I did sign anything digitally at the DMV (I just don't remember), it was certainly with a stylus. Same as at my dentist, when I update my health info, it's with a stylus. I have digitally signed some things in the past using my finger, and the result was awful.

In the 2026 midterms, Johnson said, he's going to vote in person — no signature required.