Voters in six states are considering ballot measures in the midterm elections that would make it clear that only U.S. citizens may vote -- and block local governments from expanding that right to others.
Proposed constitutional amendments or law changes in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Kansas, South Dakota and West Virginia would explicitly bar noncitizens from voting. Federal law already does this for federal elections, and no state allows noncitizens to vote in statewide elections.
So why the need for the changes?
Sponsors of the measures -- primarily Republicans -- say they want to preemptively bar cities or other local governments from allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections, as municipalities in California, Maryland and Vermont have done.
"I know it looks like we're just doing right-wing nutty stuff for the sake of doing it, but no," said Jack Tomczak, vice president of outreach for Americans for Citizen Voting. The group has worked to pass citizen-only amendments around the country.
"If you want to vote, we believe -- philosophically, ideologically -- that you should be a citizen before you get a say in how a city, state or country runs things."
Arkansas state...
Source: Boston Herald