Voters in several states projected to approve constitutional amendments forbidding noncitizen voting

Voters in at least 7 states have projected to approve constitutional amendments explicitly banning noncitizens from voting in elections. 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.

Noncitizens are prohibited from voting in federal elections under a U.S. law enacted in 1996. However, 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.

Despite it being illegal for noncitizens to vote, various states have identified and removed ineligible people from voter rolls in recent months. For instance, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin was sued by the DOJ in October after the state removed 6,000 ineligible people from its rolls when their citizenship could not be verified during a two-week grace period. Texas Governor Greg Abbott also reported that more than 6,500 potential noncitizens had been removed from the state’s voter rolls since 2021.

In August, Ohio Secretary of State Frank La Rose referred 138 apparent noncitizens for prosecution after it was determined they had voted in a recent election. Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen deactivated 3,251 people previously identified as noncitizens by the federal government from the state’s voter registration rolls.

In October, 73 lawmakers sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland expressing deep concern about reports of noncitizens registering to vote and voting in federal elections. They noted 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.