Viral video shows SF signature gatherers apparently using SLO County woman’s name
The California Secretary of State is investigating an incident captured in a social media video that appears to show signature gathers in San Francisco offering bystanders money to sign petitions for ballot initiatives using other people’s identities — including the first and last name of an Avila Beach resident.
Street videographer Omar Ward posted the now viral video to his jj smith X account on Monday afternoon. The nearly two-minute clip shows a white board resting on a city sidewalk that says “Sign petition for $5.” The video then pans to show more than a dozen people waiting in line to sign the petitions.
In the clip, a signature collector is seen advising people how to fill out the petitions using names and addresses that appear to be different from their own. When Ward asks from behind the camera what the petition is, the collector says “just sign it.”
The signature gatherer than turns to another participant and tells her how to fill out the petition using the name and address of an Avila Beach woman.
“This is their address right here. This is the city — Avila Beach,” the collector said in the video, using a marker to highlight the information.
According to California law, it is illegal to pay voters money in return for signing a petition. It is also against state law for a person to sign using someone else’s name or information.
In a Wednesday news release, San Luis Obispo County Clerk-Recorder Elaina Cano said that the actions depicted in the viral clip appear to be unlawful.
“Our office contacted the California Secretary of State’s Office as soon as we saw the video, and they have opened an investigation into the incident,” Cano said. “The activity shown in the video, if verified, would violate California election law.”
According to reporting from KCRA 3, three groups pushing anti-tax measures — Building a Better California, Californians for a More Transparent and Effective Government and the Retirement and Personal Savings Protection Act campaign — acknowledged their petitions were featured in the video and vowed to reject any petitions connected to the alleged fraudulent activity.
All three groups told KCRA 3 the signature collectors were not directly working for their campaigns, and instead were hired by outside companies. It is still unclear what firms the signature gatherers were working for.
The SLO County Clerk-Recorder’s Office said it had not received any petitions linked to the ones cited in the video as of Wednesday morning, the release said.
“Voters should never sign a petition using anyone else’s name or allow someone to fill out a petition on their behalf,” Cano said. “Anyone who believes they may have witnessed election or petition fraud should report it to the California Secretary of State’s Election Fraud Investigation Unit.”
Cano said that when petitions are submitted to the county election’s office, every signature is reviewed and verified using the voter’s registration records. If a signature does not match the voter’s information on file, then it is not counted toward the petition’s total.
Going forward, the Clerk-Recorder’s Office will continue monitoring the situation and cooperating with the California Secretary of State’s Office and any other authorities investigating the incident, the release said.
This story was originally published March 12, 2026 at 9:30 AM.
