Eight US states to vote on amendments to ban noncitizen voters

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Reuters

October 3, 2024 10:36 AM EDT Updated 42 min ago


WASHINGTON, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Eight U.S. states are asking to ban noncitizens from voting even though it is already illegal, and critics say it is part of a plan by Donald Trump and his Republican allies to challenge the presidential election result if he loses again on Nov. 5. The states include two that are expected to help decide the election. The measures, on the Nov. 5 ballot, seek to amend state constitutions.

Trump, the Republican Party candidate, says noncitizen votes could skew the election outcome. Support from a majority of voters would mainly tweak state constitutions to say explicitly that only citizens can vote, a change critics say will have little practical effect, given that it is already illegal for noncitizens to vote in those states.

The proposals will be on the ballot in November in the swing states of North Carolina and Wisconsin as well as the solidly Republican states of Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma and South Carolina. Supporters say the measures address voter concerns spawned by record levels of illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border during Democratic President Joe Biden's administration and the discovery of small numbers of potential noncitizens on voter rolls in some states.

Independent political analysts and democracy advocates note it is already illegal for noncitizens to vote in U.S. federal elections and say that any flagging faith in the system is the result of former President Trump's false claims that his 2020 election loss to Biden was the result of fraud.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/eight-us-states-vote-amendments-ban-noncitizen-voters-2024-10-03/

[SunSeeker]

1. How come they're not concerned about noncitizen DONORS?

That is what really corrupts elections!

[Wild blueberry]

2. Could have massive practical effect

Next step would be requiring each voter to prove their citizenship. Do you know where your passport (if you have one) or original birth certificate is? Every voter could be required to bring it to vote.
I'm a poll worker. That would be a nightmare.

[jimfields33]

4. I have both. If they require it, I'll bring them.

Is it a nightmare because of looking at two items? I guess it would make the job a longer process than just a drivers license which is what we are required to bring to vote in my state.

[Wild blueberry]

5. Said "nightmare" because of knowing how few of our predominately older voters have either

We poll workers are willing to do whatever it takes to help people vote.
Just can't stand the voter suppression of it, or the lie. It's already illegal for a non-citizen to vote. It's in black and white on the registration form.

[Karma13612]

9. Having either a passport

Or original birth certificate can be troublesome for plenty of people. And if you aren’t clued in that it’s required when you show up to vote and then get turned away, that’s a nightmare. Especially if you were waiting a long time, and won’t get another chance to vote.

I have all those documents but I’m an exception in rural areas with people who have never even left the state, let alone traveled abroad.

[Jk23]

10. Or their driver's license with real ID.

I understand the argument against these obvious Republican proposals, but I really feel it is a trick to make the Democrats take the other side of the argument.

We have to admit most people agree with showing ID to vote. It is a hill to die on we may be better off avoiding.

[littlemissmartypants]

3. F these idiots. Chaos agents from Hell. GMAB!!

I apologize in advance for the horrible cut/paste job here. It's probably more readable at the source:

https://ballotpedia.org/North_Carolina_Citizenship_Requirement_for_Voting_Amendment_

Glean what you can...

The North Carolina Citizenship Requirement for Voting Amendment is on the ballot in North Carolina as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment on November 5, 2024.[1]

A "yes" vote supports amending the state constitution to provide that only U.S. citizens who are 18 years old or older can vote in elections.

A "no" vote opposes amending the state constitution to provide that only U.S. citizens who are 18 years old or older can vote in elections, rather than every citizen.

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North Carolina Citizenship Requirement for Voting Amendment (2024)
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North Carolina Citizenship Requirement for Voting Amendment
Flag of North Carolina.png
Election date
November 5, 2024
Topic
Suffrage
Status
On the ballot
Type
Constitutional amendment Origin
State legislature
The North Carolina Citizenship Requirement for Voting Amendment is on the ballot in North Carolina as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment on November 5, 2024.[1]

A "yes" vote supports amending the state constitution to provide that only U.S. citizens who are 18 years old or older can vote in elections.

A "no" vote opposes amending the state constitution to provide that only U.S. citizens who are 18 years old or older can vote in elections, rather than every citizen.


Overview
What would the amendment change about voting in North Carolina?
See also: Text of measure
This measure would prohibit local governments from allowing noncitizens to vote by providing in the state constitution that only a citizen of the U.S., rather than every citizen of the U.S., can vote.[1]

What do other state constitutions say about suffrage and citizenship?
See also: State constitutions on suffrage and citizenship
In 1996, the U.S. Congress passed a law prohibiting noncitizens from voting in federal elections, such as U.S. House, U.S. Senate, and presidential elections. Federal law did not address state or local elections.[2]

All state constitutions mention United States citizenship when discussing who can vote in that state's elections. In 43 states, constitutional language discussing citizenship says who can vote (e.g. "every citizen" or "all citizens&quot , but does not state that noncitizens cannot vote. In seven states (Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, North Dakota, and Ohio) the states' constitutions provide that citizens, but not noncitizens, have the right to vote. In 2018, 2020, and 2022, constitutional amendments to state that only a citizen (rather than every citizen) may vote were approved in six states.

Are other states voting on similar measures in 2024?
See also: Background
Bans on noncitizen voting at the state level have become more frequent since 2018. Voters in six states approved ballot measures banning noncitizen voting from 2018 to 2022. In 2024, eight state legislatures referred constitutional amendments to the ballot to prohibit the state or local governments from allowing non-citizen voting. The eight states are Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Wisconsin.

As of 2024, municipalities in California, Maryland, and Vermont, along with Washington, D.C., allowed noncitizens to vote in some local elections. In November, voters in Santa Ana, California, will decide on a ballot measure to allow noncitizens to vote in municipal elections.

Jack Tomczak, Vice President of Americans for Citizen Voting, which supports the ballot measures, said, "We, and legislators who sponsor these, are getting ahead of fixing a problem that maybe has not reared its head as much in these states. It’s not like it’s happening everywhere and it must be stopped immediately. But preemption is not a bad thing." Jonathan Diaz, Director of Voting Advocacy for the Campaign Legal Center, said, "These proposed constitutional amendments are aimed really at two things: preventing local governments in those states from allowing non-U.S. citizens to vote in local elections, and advancing this false narrative that non-U.S. citizens are somehow participating in U.S. elections in large numbers, which is totally unsupported by any evidence or facts."[3]

Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title for the amendment is as follows:[1]

“
[ ] FOR [ ] AGAINST

Constitutional amendment to provide that only a citizen of the United States who is 18 years of age and otherwise possessing the qualifications for voting shall be entitled to vote at any election in this State.[4]

”
Constitutional changes
See also: Article VI, North Carolina Constitution
The measure would amend Section 1 of Article VI of the state constitution. The following struck-through text would be deleted and underlined text would be added:[5]

Every person born in the United States and every person who has been naturalized, Only a citizen of the United States who is 18 years of age, age and possessing the qualifications set out in this Article, shall be entitled to vote at any election by the people of the State, except as herein otherwise provided.[4]

Support
Supporters
Officials
State Rep. John Bell (R)
State Rep. Karl Gillespie (R)
State Rep. Destin Hall (R)
State Rep. Timothy Moore (Nonpartisan)

Arguments
State Rep. Destin Hall (R-87): Rep. Hall said the state constitution's current language “may be a floor up rather than the ceiling of who can vote,” and that “the fear is that some future court could decide that that’s not a limitation on everybody who can vote.”

Opposition
Opponents
Officials
State Rep. Mary Harrison (D)
Organizations
Carolina Forward
Carolina Migrant Network
Common Cause North Carolina
Democracy North Carolina
El Pueblo
League of Women Voters of North Carolina
North Carolina Asian Americans Together
North Carolina Justice Center

Arguments
State Rep. Pricey Harrison (D): "I feel like we’re chasing a problem that doesn’t exist. It just seems like we are creating a situation that might be chilling new citizens’ desire to vote."
Ann Webb of Common Cause North Carolina: "[The measure is] an attempt to spread lies that cast doubt on our elections and divide us, fostering an environment where prejudice and violence can thrive.”
Demoracy North Carolina: "The 'citizens only voting' constitutional amendment ignores state and federal laws that already require U.S. citizenship to vote and robust election safeguards that ensure only qualified U.S. citizens cast ballots in our elections. [The amendment] sows division across communities, promotes creates mistrust in our elections, and perpetuates anti-immigration hate and racism."
Demoracy North Carolina Policy Director Katelin Kaiser: "Certain politicians have introduced this amendment to spread lies about immigrants and voting to sow doubt about elections they fear won't go their way."
League of Women Voters of North Carolina: "The amendment builds on unfounded anti-immigrant fears and conspiracy theories that non-citizens are committing widespread voter fraud and threatening our elections. Existing North Carolina law makes it illegal for non-citizens to vote. Therefore, the proposed N.C. constitutional amendment prohibiting non-citizens from voting points to a problem that does not exist. "
Jasmina Nogo, Staff Attorney with the Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project at the NC Justice Center: "As an immigrant to North Carolina who went through the grueling process of naturalization so that I could become a citizen and participate in democracy by voting, I fear that this proposed change in the language of our constitution is a stepping stone to further disenfranchising and disempowering us and our communities."
North Carolina Asian Americans Together: "As a community of immigrants and descendents of immigrants, the fear and hatred that the “Citizens-only Amendment” will invite will affect Asian Americans in North Carolina greatly. We’ve seen how racist and xenophobic rhetoric has incited discrimination and violence on immigrant communities. ... This amendment creates confusion and brings the voting rights of naturalized citizens into question. By removing the term 'naturalization' from the North Carolina constitution, this opens the door for future attacks on naturalized citizens’ constitutional right to vote. Right now, we’re already seeing efforts to prevent naturalized citizens from voting – including attempts to remove the names of thousands of eligible naturalized voters from voter rolls."

Campaign finance
See also: Campaign finance requirements for North Carolina ballot measures
If you are aware of a committee registered to support or oppose this measure, please email [e-mail].

Cash Contributions In-Kind Contributions Total Contributions Cash Expenditures Total Expenditures
Support $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Oppose $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

Background
Voting in North Carolina
See also: Voting in North Carolina
Check your voter registration status here.
To register to vote in North Carolina, each applicant must be a United States citizen and a resident of the county in which they are registering to vote for at least 30 days before the election. Applicants must be at least 18 years old by the time of the election. [6][7] The North Carolina voter registration application is available online. Voter registration applications must be received by the county board of elections at least 25 days before the election. Voter registration services are also provided by the following agencies:[6]

North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles
Departments of Social Services (DSS)
Departments of Public Health (WIC)
Vocational rehabilitation offices
Departments of Services for the Blind
Departments of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Departments of Mental Health Services
Employment Security Commission (ESC)

Citizenship voting requirement ballot measures
Since 2018, voters have decided on six ballot measures related to adding language about citizenship requirements for voting. Voters approved all six measures with at least 62.9% of the vote. In 2024, eight states are voting on ballot measures addressing citizenship requirements for voting.

State Year Ballot Measure Type Status
North Dakota 2018 North Dakota Measure 2 Initiated constitutional amendment Approved
Alabama 2020 Alabama Amendment 1 Legislatively referred constitutional amendment Approved
Florida 2020 Florida Amendment 1 Initiated constitutional amendment Approved
Colorado 2020 Colorado Amendment 76 Initiated constitutional amendment Approved
Ohio 2022 Ohio Issue 2 Legislatively referred constitutional amendment Approved
Louisiana 2022 Louisiana Amendment 1 Legislatively referred constitutional amendment Approved
Iowa 2024 Iowa Amendment 1 Legislatively referred constitutional amendment On the ballot
Wisconsin 2024 Wisconsin Citizenship Voting Requirement Amendment Legislatively referred constitutional amendment On the ballot
Kentucky 2024 Kentucky Constitutional Amendment 1 Legislatively referred constitutional amendment On the ballot
Idaho 2024 Idaho Citizenship Voting Requirement for Voting Amendment Legislatively referred constitutional amendment On the ballot
South Carolina 2024 South Carolina Citizenship Requirement for Voting Amendment Legislatively referred constitutional amendment On the ballot
Missouri 2024 Missouri Amendment 7 Legislatively referred constitutional amendment On the ballot
Oklahoma 2024 Oklahoma Citizenship Requirement for Voting Amendment Legislatively referred constitutional amendment On the ballot
North Carolina 2024 North Carolina Citizenship Requirement for Voting Amendment Legislatively referred constitutional amendment On the ballot

Partisanship of legislative votes on referred measures
The following table shows the percentage of Democratic and Republican legislators that supported referring constitutional amendments to the state's ballot requiring citizenship to vote. The average percent of Republican support was 100% while the average percent of Democratic support was 45.6%.

In Alabama and Iowa, legislators passed the referrals with unanimous support from both parties.



State constitutions on suffrage and citizenship
All state constitutions mention United States citizenship when discussing who can vote in that state's elections. In 43 states, constitutional language discussing citizenship says who can vote (e.g. "every citizen" or "all citizens&quot , but does not state that noncitizens cannot vote. In seven states (Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, North Dakota, and Ohio) the states' constitutions provide that citizens, but not noncitizens, have the right to vote.



Noncitizen-voting in the United States
See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States
In 1996, the U.S. Congress passed a law prohibiting noncitizens from voting in federal elections, such as U.S. House, U.S. Senate, and presidential elections. Federal law did not address state or local elections.[2]

Fifteen municipalities across the country allowed noncitizens to vote in local elections as of January 2022. Eleven were located in Maryland, two were located in Vermont, one was New York City, and the other was San Francisco, California. San Francisco allowed noncitizens to vote in school board elections by approving Proposition N in 2016. On January 9, 2022, New York City Mayor Eric Adams signed a bill that would allow noncitizens to vote in municipal elections starting in January 2023.[8]

Path to the ballot
See also: Amending the North Carolina Constitution
North Carolina requires a 60 percent vote in each legislative chamber during a single legislative session to refer a constitutional amendment to the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 72 votes in the North Carolina House of Representatives and 30 votes in the North Carolina Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.

The constitutional amendment was introduced as House Bill 1074. It was approved in the House on June 27, 2024, by a vote of 99-12 with nine. The Senate approved the amendment on the same day by a vote of 40-4 with six members absent.[1]

Vote in the North Carolina House of Representatives
June 27, 2024
Requirement: Three-fifths (60 percent) vote of all members in each chamber
Number of yes votes required: 72 Approved
Yes No Not voting
Total 99 12 9
Total percent 82.5% 10.0% 7.50%
Democrat 32 12 4
Republican 67 0 5
Vote in the North Carolina State Senate
June 27, 2024
Requirement: Three-fifths (60 percent) vote of all members in each chamber
Number of yes votes required: 30 Approved
Yes No Not voting
Total 40 4 6
Total percent 80.0% 8.0% 12.0%
Democrat 10 4 6
Republican 30 0 0

How to cast a vote
See also: Voting in North Carolina
Click "Show" to learn more about current voter registration rules, identification requirements, and poll times in North Carolina.

[show]How to cast a vote in North Carolina
See also
2024 measures
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2024 ballot measures
Suffrage on the ballot
2024 legislative sessions
North Carolina
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North Carolina ballot measures
North Carolina ballot measure laws
News and analysis
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Ballot measure lawsuits
Ballot measure readability
Ballot measure polls
External links
House Bill 1074
Footnotes
North Carolina State Legislature, "House Bill 1074," accessed June 28, 2024
Cornell Law School, "18 U.S. Code § 611 - Voting by aliens," accessed March 26, 2020
NBC News, "GOP efforts to crack down on noncitizen voting extend to state ballot measures," September 14, 2024
Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
North Carolina State Board of Elections, “Registering to Vote,” accessed May 1, 2023
North Carolina State Board of Elections, “Who Can Register,” accessed May 1, 2023
The New York Times, "Noncitizens’ Right to Vote Becomes Law in New York City," January 9, 2022
Justia, "NC Gen Stat § 163-166.01 (2022) Hours for voting," accessed May 1, 2023
NCSL, "State Profiles: Elections," accessed August 30, 2024
North Carolina State Board of Elections, “Register in Person During Early Voting,” accessed May 1, 2023
Justia, “NC Gen Stat § 163-227.2 (2022),” accessed May 1, 2023
North Carolina State Board of Elections, "Voter ID," accessed May 1, 2023
North Carolina State Board of Elections, “Voter ID,” accessed May 23, 2024
Only the first few references on this page are shown above. Click to show more.
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North Carolina Citizenship Requirement for Voting Amendment (2024)Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title for the amendment is as follows:[1]

“
[ ] FOR [ ] AGAINST

Constitutional amendment to provide that only a citizen of the United States who is 18 years of age and otherwise possessing the qualifications for voting shall be entitled to vote at any election in this State.[4]

”
Constitutional changes
See also: Article VI, North Carolina Constitution
The measure would amend Section 1 of Article VI of the state constitution. The following struck-through text would be deleted and underlined text would be added:[5]

Every person born in the United States and every person who has been naturalized, Only a citizen of the United States who is 18 years of age, age and possessing the qualifications set out in this Article, shall be entitled to vote at any election by the people of the State, except as herein otherwise provided.

[4]https://ballotpedia.org/North_Carolina_Citizenship_Requirement_for_Voting_Amendment_(2024)

❤️pants

[jimfields33]

11. Good news is, it's up for a democratic vote.

A voice of the people will be heard. It beats the legislature doing this. I like this as it gives voters the drivers seat. Not sure why you hate constitutional amendments. You’d hate Florida. We had 18 one year and six this year. We definitely have democracy in action.

[Attilatheblond]

6. Putting on a show for the low info/maga types instead of addressing actual problems they could affect in positive ways

Nice work, if you can get it.

[sakabatou]

7. So this whole thing is nothing but a performative vote

[BaronChocula]

8. This is just like those state that wasted resources

on ballot measures to ban Shariah law. Idiots. But I'm sure it made them feel better.

[4catsmom]

12. so stupid

it's already illegal. this reminds me of those endless votes by the GOP during the Jr. Bush years to "support the troops". a waste of time and resources then and now