Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., used his first televised interview since announcing his run for governor to pitch one of his boldest campaign ideas yet: allowing Californians to vote on their phones.
“I want us to be able to vote by phone,” Swalwell told CNN’s Elex Michaelson on Saturday.
According to Fox News, when Michaelson reacted with surprise, Swalwell doubled down.
“Yeah. If we can do our taxes, make our healthcare appointments, you know, essentially do your banking online, you should be able to vote by phone. Make it safe. Make it secure, but it’s actually already happening all over the United States.”
Swalwell said he wants California to push far beyond incremental improvements that merely outperform red states in election access. His goal, he said, is to create the most expansive and modern voting system possible.
“I want us to max out democracy,” he said.
He also proposed a penalty system for in-person voting delays. “If you wait in line for 30 minutes or more, if you do want to vote in person, I think you should fine every county for every minute that a person has to wait longer,” he said.
Swalwell added that modernization shouldn’t be limited to elections. He said he wants to overhaul operations at the California Department of Motor Vehicles so residents no longer have to appear in person for routine visits.
Several states have experimented with mobile or online voting in recent years. West Virginia tested mobile voting in 2018, allowing overseas voters to cast ballots through an app during the midterm elections.
Since then, the Mobile Voting Project has launched 21 pilot programs across seven states, including Utah, Colorado, South Carolina, and Oregon. Most of those programs have been limited to local contests or overseas voters.
Swalwell formally entered the California governor’s race Thursday night on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
The Democratic field also includes former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, former Rep. Katie Porter, and billionaire activist Tom Steyer. On the Republican side, former Fox News host Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco have launched campaigns.
