'Every' or 'Only' Citizen Voters in Wisconsin's Constitution

Frederica Freyberg:
Those who’ve already voted early have seen yet another constitutional amendment on their ballot, the fifth this year. If you haven’t yet voted, what you’ll see is a yes or no question that deals with citizenship and voting rights “Here & Now” reporter Nathan Denzin explains the ballot question.

Nathan Denzin:
Right now, Wisconsin’s Constitution states that every U.S. citizen 18 or older can vote in an election, but an amendment on November’s ballot seeks to change that language from “every” U.S. citizen to “only a” U.S. citizen. Republican backers say the change is needed because cities in California, New York and Vermont have allowed non-U.S. citizens to vote in local elections like school board races.

Dale Schmidt:
Remember that perception can, in and of itself, call into question the integrity of elections. We don’t want that.

Nathan Denzin:
Similar amendments are being voted on in seven other states, including Iowa. While Wisconsin law doesn’t explicitly bar non-citizens from voting in local elections, no local government in the state has ever allowed it. Federal law already makes it illegal for non-citizens to vote for the U.S. House, U.S. Senate and President. When voters register, they must attest to their citizenship under penalty of perjury and possible deportation. But Wisconsin law does not provide any process that systematically verifies citizenship.

Tom Tiffany:
We want to make sure that it is easy to vote, but hard to cheat.

Nathan Denzin:
Opponents say it’s a precursor to verify citizenship in future elections. That practice has been declared unconstitutional in other states, as it could disqualify the elderly or legal immigrants who lack a birth certificate. They also fear that the referendum will be used to establish the trope that migrants are voting in large numbers, despite the fact that it rarely happens. The Wisconsin Elections Commission has found just three cases of non-citizens who have been referred for prosecution for voting illegally since 2019, mostly for misunderstanding their eligibility. For “Here & Now,” I’m Nathan Denzin.