Texas Passes Constitutional Amendment Banning Noncitizen Voting

In a decisive move to clarify voting eligibility, Texas voters have overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment explicitly prohibiting non-U.S. citizens from casting ballots in state elections. The measure passed with nearly 72% support, cementing citizenship requirements already present in state election code.

The constitutional change, known as SJR 37, adds specific language to the state constitution listing “persons who are not citizens of the United States” among those prohibited from voting in Texas elections. While this requirement was already codified in Texas election law, the amendment elevates this restriction to constitutional status, making it significantly more difficult to alter in the future.

“It is now in our Constitution that only US citizens can vote in Texas elections,” Republican Governor Greg Abbott declared on social media following the amendment’s passage.

The amendment’s overwhelming support reflects strong public sentiment in Texas regarding election integrity and citizenship requirements. Though federal law already prohibits non-citizens from voting in federal elections – including those for president, vice president, and congressional representatives – this state-level constitutional change reinforces Texas’s commitment to this principle across all elections held within its borders.

The measure comes amid a broader national debate about election security, voter eligibility, and immigration policy. While some localities in other states have experimented with allowing non-citizen voting in certain municipal elections, Texas has moved firmly in the opposite direction. The amendment represents part of a growing trend of states taking steps to explicitly clarify voter eligibility requirements.

Political analysts note that the amendment’s timing aligns with increased attention to immigration issues in Texas, a border state that has been at the center of national debates regarding migration patterns and border security. Governor Abbott has been particularly vocal on immigration matters, implementing various state-level border security initiatives.

The constitutional amendment process in Texas requires that proposed changes first pass both chambers of the state legislature before being put to voters for final approval. This particular amendment sailed through the legislative process before receiving overwhelming voter support.

Voter turnout patterns for the amendment vote followed typical patterns for off-cycle constitutional amendment elections in Texas, which traditionally see lower participation than presidential or midterm contests. However, the decisive margin suggests broad agreement among those who did participate.

Election law experts point out that while the amendment makes a clear statement, its practical impact may be limited since non-citizens were already prohibited from voting under existing state election code. The constitutional change does, however, provide an additional legal barrier against any future attempts to permit non-citizen voting in local Texas elections.

Critics of such measures argue they address a virtually non-existent problem, as cases of non-citizen voting are extremely rare. Supporters counter that the amendment provides important clarity and reinforces democratic principles about who should participate in the electoral process.

In the same election cycle, Texas voters also approved another amendment requiring judges to deny bail for certain violent felony charges, reflecting the state’s ongoing focus on public safety and criminal justice issues.

The Texas constitutional amendment is part of a growing pattern of states taking independent action on election policies, reflecting the highly decentralized nature of America’s electoral system where states maintain considerable authority over how elections are conducted within their borders.