Republican legislators in North Carolina have advanced a proposed constitutional amendment to clarify that only U.S. citizens can vote in the state, a move aimed at boosting conservative turnout in the fall. The current state constitution already limits voting to U.S.-born or naturalized citizens who are 18 and older. The amendment would change the language to explicitly state that only citizens can vote in elections. This comes as Republicans in other states, including Wisconsin, are also pushing for similar measures on the upcoming fall ballots.
The bill’s sponsors argue that the proposal is necessary to preserve election integrity and prevent potential foreign influence in elections. They fear that the current language in the constitution could be interpreted as allowing noncitizens to vote in the future. Some local jurisdictions, such as San Francisco and the District of Columbia, have already allowed noncitizens to vote in local races. Supporters of the amendment point to recent illegal border crossings from Mexico as a reason for the need to clarify voting eligibility.
Democrats on the committee have criticized the proposal as unnecessary and a waste of time and resources. They argue that the current state voter registration applications already make it clear that voting is limited to citizens, and lying about citizenship on the form is a felony. Critics of the proposed amendment also fear that it could discourage new citizens from voting. A 2016 election audit in North Carolina found that only 41 legal immigrants who had not yet become citizens had cast ballots out of 4.8 million total ballots cast that fall.
Opponents of the referendum, including voting advocacy group Common Cause North Carolina, see it as an attempt to spread misinformation about voter fraud and cast doubt on elections. They argue that the amendment could create an environment where prejudice and violence thrive. While constitutional amendments are not subject to Governor Roy Cooper’s veto, they require a majority vote in both the House and Senate to be brought before voters in November. Supporters of the amendment believe it gives citizens the right to weigh in on the state’s voting laws and protect against potential misinterpretations of the current language in the constitution.
The proposed amendment would need approval from a House committee before it can go to the full House for a vote. Senate leader Phil Berger has expressed openness to the idea, stating that while there may already be legal prohibitions on noncitizens voting, he sees no harm in including the amendment as an additional safeguard. The final decision on the amendment will ultimately come down to whether there is enough support in the legislature for it to be included on the November ballot. If approved by voters, the amendment would amend the state constitution to explicitly state that only U.S. citizens can vote in North Carolina elections.
