Activists push for voting amendments in 8 states this November

The nonprofit organization Americans for Citizen Voting (ACV) has initiated a campaign aimed at passing constitutional amendments in eight states this November. These amendments are designed to prevent non-citizens from participating in elections within those states. The states involved in this initiative include Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Wisconsin. Although federal law mandates that voters in federal elections must be U.S. citizens, state and local elections do not have the same requirement, leading to concerns about non-citizen voting. Currently, 17 cities across California, Illinois, Maryland, Vermont, and Washington, D.C., permit non-citizens to vote in municipal elections. New York City has a law that would allow 800,000 non-citizens to vote in municipal elections, but this law is currently facing a court block. ACV President Avi McCullah emphasized the importance of the upcoming votes, stating that they will provide an opportunity for citizens to address the issue of non-citizen voting. McCullah, a naturalized citizen originally from Brazil, expressed his concerns about the dilution of citizenship rights, which he believes undermines the hard work he put into becoming a U.S. citizen. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger echoed these sentiments, highlighting the need for a Citizen Only Voting Amendment to prevent local governments from allowing foreign citizens to vote. The campaign reflects a growing movement among activists to ensure that voting rights are reserved exclusively for U.S. citizens, aiming to send a strong message nationwide about the importance of citizenship in the electoral process.