Since ending a century of Democrat control in 2014, West Virginia has made enormous progress on enshrining solid conservative policy into law.
Now, as another 10% income tax cut moves through the Senate, legislators are also considering a constitutional amendment that ensures only citizens of the United States are eligible to vote in federal, state, and local elections.
Championed by Senator Rucker and Del. Heckert, SJR 9 and HJR 18 are identical pieces of legislation that would ask voters to add a single, simple line to the state constitution this November: “….nor shall any person who is not a citizen of the United States be entitled to vote at any election held within this state.”
The problem is real. Non-citizens are currently permitted to vote in state and local elections in many states around the country. Without an explicit guarantee against the practice outlined in the constitution, West Virginia voters are at risk in both and local elections if the legislature ever chose to revise the statutory prohibition approved just last year. Statutes are fickle; constitutional status is far more immutable.
If the amendment reaches the ballot and is approved by voters this November, West Virginia would join a large and growing cohort of states that are actively strengthening measures to ensure only citizens are eligible to choose their representatives at the ballot box. Should the winds of power shift unfavorably in the future, progressives could easily repeal a citizen-only voting statute; on the other hand, putting this fundamentally important policy in the constitution guarantees secure and legitimate elections for generations to come.
ATR strongly supports this common sense legislation to secure a constitutional prohibition on non-citizen voting in state and local elections, ensuring that taxpayers remain properly represented in Charleston and beyond.
