Kansas approves language reaffirming citizenship voting requirement

A ballot measure that would ​specify that only U.S. citizens are allowed to vote in Kansas, making a mild language change to the state’s existing citizenship voting requirement, is projected to pass, according to Decision Desk HQ.

Voters approved the constitutional amendment, which tweaks language in the Kansas Constitution from saying “Every citizen of the United States” who has reached 18 years old and resides in the area they’re looking to vote in are qualified electors to instead saying “No person shall be deemed a qualified elector unless such person” is a U.S. citizen, has reached 18 years old and resides in the area they’re looking to vote in.

DDHQ projected that the measure passed by almost 25 percentage points with 90 percent of votes counted at 11:50 p.m. EST.

Kansas law already states it is a crime for someone who is not a U.S. citizen to vote in an election, but the ballot measure looks to make that requirement even clearer.

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 baselessly asserted there’s been widespread voter fraud .

The president has pressed GOP lawmakers to pass legislation that would require people show proof of citizenship 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.