Another instance of apparent fraud is emerging out of California, as a video from nearly a week ago appears to show people in San Francisco, many of them homeless, being offered $5 to sign a petition aimed at placing a proposition on the November ballot. They were also reportedly encouraged to sign multiple times using fake names.
When asked what the petition was actually for, the signature gatherer dismissed the question, telling the person to “just sign it.”
The California Secretary of State’s office said it was “aware of, and investigating, the matter,” adding that any unverified signatures would not be counted toward qualifying the measure for the ballot.
OH FANTASTIC — Californians are being PAID TO sign ballot petitions and sign using different names!
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) March 16, 2026
VOTER: "Do I get five dollars too? What is it?"
WORKER: "Just sign it." pic.twitter.com/voLD4hLH66
🚨CA ELECTION PROBE: A video filmed in San Francisco appears to show petition signature collectors offering $5 for signatures and telling people to sign for proposed ballot initiatives with OTHER VOTERS’ names.
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) March 11, 2026
The California Secretary of State’s office says it has opened an… pic.twitter.com/SPklj2zy9m
In California, citizen-initiated ballot measures can qualify if organizers collect enough valid signatures, or at least 5 percent of the total votes cast for governor in the last gubernatorial election for statutory initiatives, or 8 percent for constitutional amendments. For 2026, that translates to about 550,000 signatures for initiatives and 870,000 for amendments.
This particular petition appears to be linked to a ballot measure opposing the Golden State's proposed tax on billionaires and funded by the group, Building a Better California.
Molly Weedn, a spokesperson for the effort, said the individual collecting signatures in the video is not affiliated with the group. “Under no circumstance do we tolerate this type of activity, " she added. "Our campaign took immediate action and campaign attorneys reported to authorities.”
Other petitions from the same group also appeared to be involved.
Offering money or gifts in exchange for ballot measure signatures is illegal under state election law, the secretary of state’s office said.
“It is also a crime to circulate, sign and/or file those signed petitions with an election official any initiative petition that is known to include forged names,” they added.
This comes as the state has faced mounting instances of fraud, drawing scrutiny from the Trump administration and investigative journalist Nick Shirley.
Steve Hilton, a Republican gubernatorial candidate, has also made the issue central to his campaign, launching a CalDOGE initiative that he says has uncovered nearly $500 billion in fraud.