Arkansas approves citizenship voting requirement

A ballot measure that would only allow U.S. citizens who meet certain criteria to vote in elections in Arkansas is projected to pass, according to Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ).

The “yes” option had about 69 percent of the vote as of 12:30 a.m. EST on Wednesday, per DDHQ .

Arkansas voters approved the constitutional amendment , known as Issue 1, which says that only U.S. citizens who show a form of photo ID and are at least 18 years old, an Arkansas resident and registered to vote are allowed to vote in elections in the state.

The initiative would add language to the state constitution saying, “A person who does not meet the qualifications of an elector under this section shall not be permitted to vote in any state or local election held in this state.”

The Natural State already requires people to be citizens who meet certain criteria and provide photo ID in order to vote, though the ballot language reinforces these rules by getting rid of language saying that a person who meets the criteria “may” vote, updating it to “only” those who meet the requirements. It also specifies that voters who fall short cannot cast a ballot in either statewide or local elections.

Noncitizens are not allowed to vote in federal elections, and only a small group of municipalities in addition to Washington, D.C., allow them to vote in certain elections, according to Ballotpedia .

Republicans have leaned into issues around voting and proper identification , particularly as President Trump has asserted without basis that there has been widespread voter fraud .

The president has pressed GOP lawmakers to pass legislation that would require people to show proof of citizenship in order to register to vote and show photo identification at the polls, though those efforts have been unsuccessful.

Ballotpedia also notes that more than a dozen states are teeing up ballot measures pertaining to election policy, including six states asking voters about voting and citizenship and another six states asking about voter ID.