Overview

• The initiative would ask voters in 2028 if California should leave the United States to become an independent country, though the vote would be legally nonbinding.
• To qualify for the ballot, supporters must collect 546,651 valid signatures by July 22, 2025, representing 5% of votes cast in the 2022 gubernatorial election.
• If passed, the measure would establish a commission to evaluate the feasibility of California's independence and produce a report on the state's ability to govern itself.
• Secession would require a constitutional amendment, needing approval from Congress and 38 states, a process constitutional experts deem highly unlikely.
• The campaign, led by Marcus Ruiz Evans, cites frustration with federal policies and President Trump's administration as motivating factors for renewed efforts.