As the election season unfolds, voters in eight states are facing ballot measures that focus on the issue of noncitizen voting. These states include Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Wisconsin, most of which have a strong Republican presence.
The proposed measures aim to reinforce the existing law that only U.S. citizens are eligible to vote in federal elections. Despite the rarity of noncitizen voting instances, concerns about voter fraud have been amplified by former President Donald Trump and his supporters.
Fact-checking efforts have revealed minimal cases of noncitizen voting, such as a recent incident in Michigan where a Chinese citizen was charged with voter fraud and perjury for casting a ballot in the 2024 election.
Each state has its unique approach to addressing noncitizen voting:
- Idaho: A ballot measure seeks to amend the state's constitution to explicitly prohibit noncitizens from voting in any election within the state.
- Iowa: A proposed constitutional amendment would update the voting age to 18 and specify that only U.S. citizens can vote.
- Kentucky: A measure aims to add a clause to the state's constitution barring noncitizens from voting.
- Missouri: An amendment on the ballot would restrict voting rights to U.S. citizens and eliminate ranked-choice voting.
- North Carolina: A proposed amendment would limit voting rights to U.S. citizens who meet other requirements.
- Oklahoma: A measure seeks to change the state's constitution to specify that only citizens are qualified to vote.
- South Carolina: A proposed constitutional change would restrict voting to U.S. citizens who are properly registered.
- Wisconsin: A ballot measure aims to amend the state's constitution to allow only U.S. citizens to vote if they meet all requirements.
These ballot measures reflect ongoing efforts to clarify and reinforce voting eligibility rules, particularly in the context of concerns about election integrity. Voters in these states will have the opportunity to weigh in on these important issues during the upcoming elections.
