California begins collecting signatures to secede from the United States

California begins collecting signatures to secede from the United States

A petition calling for California to secede from the United States has been approved by Secretary of State Shirley Weber. According to Newsweek, the initiative needs to collect 546,651 signatures by July 22, 2025, to be placed on the 2028 ballot.

The initiative, called "Calexit," asks the question: "Should California secede from the United States and become a free and independent state?"

The initiative requires approval from at least 55% of voters, or 50% of the 500,000 or more registered voters, to pass. If this vote is successful, it would be considered a "vote of no confidence in the United States" and would reflect California's desire for independence.

However, these results are not legally binding and do not affect the federal government. There is no mechanism for state secession in US law. The Supreme Court declared in 1869 that states cannot secede from the United States.

The Calexit movement first gained momentum after Donald Trump became president in 2016. California, as a traditionally "Democratic" state, supported Democratic Party candidates Kamala Harris and Joe Biden in 2020.