Voters in several states projected to approve constitutional amendments forbidding noncitizen voting
The measure, which was on the ballot in eight states, was approved by voters in Iowa, Missouri, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Oklahoma and Wisconsin.
Idaho, where voters have also appeared to approve the amendment, did not have enough votes counted on Wednesday morning to announce an official decision.
THOUSANDS OF NONCITIZENS REMOVED FROM VOTER ROLLS, DOZENS OF LAWMAKERS WANT ANSWERS FROM GARLAND
Voters in eight states decided on explicitly banning noncitizens from voting in elections. The change was approved in seven states, with one state still counting votes. (Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)
Noncitizens are prohibited from voting in federal elections under a U.S. law enacted in 1996, but Washington, D.C., and some municipalities in Maryland, Vermont and California allow them to vote in local elections.
Similar amendments have been made to state constitutions in North Dakota, Florida, Colorado, Alabama, Ohio and Louisiana over the past six years after concerns that the language surrounding voter eligibility wasn’t specific enough.
The wording in those states was then changed from “every citizen” to “only a citizen” can vote.
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A similar measure in Idaho banning noncitizens from voting also appears to have been approved, but has not been officially called. (Tierney L. Cross/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Despite it being illegal for noncitizens to vote, various states have identified, and removed, ineligible people on voter rolls in recent months.
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin was sued by the DOJ in October after the state removed 6,000 ineligible people from its rolls after their citizenship could not be verified during a two-week grace period.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said in August that more than 6,500 potential noncitizens had been removed from the state’s voter rolls since 2021.
Similar amendments have been made to state constitutions in North Dakota, Florida, Colorado, Alabama, Ohio and Louisiana over the past six years.
Also in August, Ohio Secretary of State Frank La Rose said that he referred 138 apparent noncitizens for prosecution after it was determined they had voted in a recent election.
Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen has said 3,251 people previously identified as noncitizens by the federal government have been deactivated on the state’s voter registration rolls.
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In October, 73 lawmakers sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland stating that they were “deeply concerned” by reports of noncitizens registering to vote and voting in federal elections, adding that the DOJ had not yet responded to lawmakers’ initial inquiry in July.
The Associated Press and Fox News’ Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.
