While US President Donald Trump dreams of annexing Canada and the vast icy Greenland into the United States, some activists in California are seeking enough votes for the secession of the state from the US.
Last week, the Secretary of State of California, Shirley Weber, authorized the collection of a voter initiative to gather signatures needed to put the matter to a vote during the November 2028 general election.
If successful, voters will be asked: “Should California leave the United States and become a free and independent country?”
This is not the first time they have tried this initiative. However, unlike during Trump’s 2016 election victory, they are hoping to gain more support than their previous efforts.
Marcus Evans, one of the leading political activists, has until late July to gather signatures from 546,651 registered voters—5% of the votes cast during the 2022 California gubernatorial election—to get secession on the ballot.
If the measure passes with at least 55% approval in a vote featuring a minimum 50% turnout, it would amount to “a vote of no confidence in the United States of America” and trigger the creation of a state commission to explore the viability of Californian independence. The proposed 20-member body will report its findings in 2028.
Why Does California Want To Leave?
Evans previously served as vice president of Yes, California, a pro-independence group that gained traction in November 2016 after Trump’s first presidential victory.
Last week, Evans restarted the campaign, saying, “We believe that now is the best time to Calexit—NOW we are better situated to make Calexit happen than in 2016.”
The activist cited two impeachments of Trump during his first presidential term and federal prosecutions against him during his 2024 election campaign.
It is unknown if the wildfires and the disastrous firefighting response also fuel this separatist agitation.
Supporters of Californian independence point to the state’s sizable economy, claiming that as a sovereign country, it would become the fifth-largest in the world. The state reported its GDP at $3.8 trillion in 2023.
Some speculate that Californians may prefer to join Canada to the north, while others say this possibility is at the heart of Trump’s attempt to bring Canada to the US.
However, California Attorney General Rob Bonta warns that the state’s constitution does not allow secession from the US, and the proposal does not include constitutional amendments.
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