“People always talk about people’s rights, but as citizens, we also have responsibilities we take on. Aliens don’t have those. And I don’t believe that they should have any say so in our election process and the way we go about choosing not only our representatives but passing the laws that govern our society.”

— Hans von Spakovsky, Manager of the Election Law Reform Initiative

(From the July 21, 2024 Ohio Starl article, “Election Integrity Expert Says States Need to Stop Non-Citizens Voting: ‘merica Doesn’t Know the Extent of the Problem”)

In an interview with The Tennessee Star, election integrity expert Hans von Spakovsky emphasized the need for states to amend their constitutions to clearly prohibit non-citizens from voting in any election. He argues this is essential to prevent local entities from allowing non-citizen voting, which he believes disenfranchises American citizens. Currently, only seven* states explicitly ban non-citizen voting, while eight states are set to vote on such measures in upcoming referendums.

Von Spakovsky and Lauren Bowman of the Public Interest Legal Foundation highlight incidents where non-citizens have been mistakenly registered to vote, often due to administrative errors rather than intentional fraud. They assert that the lack of rigorous verification processes exacerbates this issue, with significant examples reported in states like Pennsylvania and Texas.

Critics argue that permitting non-citizen voting undermines the integrity of elections, potentially impacting close local races. They advocate for constitutional amendments at the state level to prevent this practice. Conversely, some legal experts and proponents of non-citizen voting suggest that localities should have the autonomy to decide their voting regulations, particularly in areas where non-citizens are integral to the community.

Despite federal law prohibiting non-citizens from voting in federal elections, debates continue over the potential risks and benefits of non-citizen voting at the local level, with ongoing legal challenges and differing state policies contributing to a complex and contentious issue.

*There are currently 12 states whose Constitutions ban non-citizens from voting

Read the original article here.