Eric Swalwell often flies under the public’s radar compared to his more prominent congressional peers, like the members of the well-known “Squad.” These figures usually command the spotlight, and deservedly so.
Despite this, the congressman frequently showcases his unique approach, unveiling ideas that suggest he might be a few cards short of a full deck.
Swalwell, the Democratic Representative for California’s 14th congressional district, recently declared his candidacy for the state’s gubernatorial race. He chose none other than the comedic host Jimmy Kimmel to make this announcement, which adds a layer of amusement to his campaign launch.
The situation took a humorous turn when Swalwell shared one of his innovative ideas for the 2026 election during a CNN interview over the weekend. He proposed allowing Californians to vote using their phones.
This is no joke.
“I want us to be able to vote by phone. I believe that every Californian should have the option to vote by phone. If we can handle our taxes, schedule healthcare appointments, and manage banking online, then voting by phone should be an option,” Swalwell stated.
“Make it safe, make it secure. But it’s actually already happening all over the United States. I want us to be a blue state that doesn’t do just a little bit better than, like, Georgia or Alabama, when it comes to like, voting access,” Swalwell explained. “I want us to max out democracy.”
🚨 SWALWELL: “I want us to be able to vote by phone … I want us to max out democracy.” pic.twitter.com/74cVtwYDi8
— Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) November 22, 2025
READ MORE: Jimmy Kimmel Is Finally Funny After Eric Swalwell Takes to His Show to Announce His Run for CA Governor
Eric Swalwell Gets Dragged Into Oblivion After Posting Videos of Himself Bench Pressing 135
The phrase “max out democracy” absolutely had to have been workshopped by an intern fresh out of high school. You know, high school, where Swalwell no doubt was stuffed in his locker nearly every day. I kid, I kid.
Swalwell got absolutely raked over the coals for the idea.
“Vote by phone so every 13-year-old with mom’s iPhone can pick the governor. Eric Swalwell just invented election fraud 2.0,” one X user wrote. “Genius level: room temperature IQ.”
It’s not even that warm.
“This is the worst voting idea I’ve EVER heard. That would be an abject disaster,” Eric Daugherty, Chief Content Officer for Florida’s Voice, added.
“Democrats always want more cheating in our elections,” conservative commentator Paul Szypula responded to the idea.
Fact check: True.
WHAT?!
Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell, who announced his candidacy for governor of California:
“I want us to be able to vote by phone … I want us to max out democracy.”
How stupid is this? pic.twitter.com/5XVF17h9M3
— Conservative Brief (@ConservBrief) November 22, 2025
Currently, there are roughly zero U.S. states that allow universal voting by phone (e.g., via mobile app, voice call, or SMS) in federal, state, or local elections, primarily due to significant security, privacy, and verification concerns. Concerns that would be obvious to anybody with more than three functioning brain cells.
Some states have tested mobile or online voting pilots for specific populations, primarily for military and overseas citizens or voters with disabilities. Even then, it’s not widespread and often requires biometric verification or is restricted to specific jurisdictions.
Voting by phone fails most critically on authentication, secrecy, and verifiability. Phone numbers are easily spoofed, hijacked via SIM-swapping, or bought in bulk, making it impossible to prove that the person voting is the actual registered voter. The fraud alarms should be going off everywhere. But what is an alarm to you and me seems like a golden opportunity for Swalwell.
Similar to efforts to allow voting without government-issued identification, Democrats are always looking to expand who has access to the ballot box. Not to “max out democracy” as Swalwell suggests, but rather to allow as many unverified people as possible access to elections to muddy the waters.
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