Eric Swalwell Pushes Dangerous Vote by Phone Proposal in California Governor Bid

In a move that should raise red flags for anyone concerned about election integrity, Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell has officially launched his campaign for California governor and he's already calling for one of the most radical election changes yet voting by phone.

During his first TV interview since jumping into the race, Swalwell told CNN’s Elex Michaelson, “I want us to be able to vote by phone.” He justified the idea by pointing out that Americans already conduct sensitive tasks like banking and scheduling healthcare appointments via smartphone. But there’s a big difference between online convenience and securing the very foundation of our democratic process.

Swalwell’s full proposal reveals just how far he’s willing to go:

• Voting by phone statewide a system virtually impossible to secure against hacking or fraud

• Fines for counties where voters wait more than 30 minutes regardless of local staffing or resources

• Complete modernization of the DMV removing in-person visits altogether, despite countless identity verification concerns

Swalwell’s claim that mobile voting is already happening “all over the United States” is extremely misleading. While a handful of counties in states like Utah and Colorado have tested pilot programs typically for overseas military personnel the idea of scaling mobile voting to a state as large and politically critical as California is a logistical and security nightmare.

Let’s not forget: California already has one of the least secure and most controversial voting systems in the country. With widespread mail-in voting, same-day registration, and automatic voter registration at the DMV, the state has created a perfect storm for errors and abuse. Now Swalwell wants to add smartphones to the mix?

In a state where Democrats control nearly every lever of power, the push to “max out democracy,” as Swalwell puts it, really looks more like an effort to dilute election security under the guise of accessibility. Never mind that California’s voter rolls are bloated and riddled with errors adding a new digital platform only expands the risk.

Consider these facts:

• A 2022 Public Interest Legal Foundation audit found that California had over 226,000 mail ballots rejected in the 2020 election due to issues like mismatched signatures and late arrivals. What happens when similar errors occur via phone?

• A 2023 MIT study concluded that mobile voting remains “highly vulnerable” to cyberattacks, including vote manipulation and denial-of-service attacks.

• According to the Heritage Foundation’s voter fraud database, California has seen dozens of proven cases of election fraud, many involving mail ballots and identity theft areas only made worse with phone voting.

Let’s be honest: This isn’t about access. It’s about power. Swalwell and the Democratic machine want to streamline their ability to mobilize voters with minimal oversight. And in doing so, they’re willing to gamble with the legitimacy of California’s elections.

Swalwell’s grandstanding on late-night comedy shows and cable news interviews might impress Silicon Valley donors, but it should terrify anyone who still believes in secure, transparent elections. Voting by phone is a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist and it's an open invitation for chaos in 2026.

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