ANNA HANSEN
Non-U.S. citizens are barred from voting in Wisconsin under a constitutional amendment voters approved in Tuesday's election.
While the Wisconsin Constitution dictates that every U.S. citizen can vote in the state's elections, the Republican-backed amendment tweaks that verbiage to say that only U.S. citizens can vote in Wisconsin's federal, state and local elections.
The Associated Press called the race at 9:42 p.m. With 55% of votes counted, the measure was passing 70.3% to 29.7%. All election results remain unofficial until they’re certified in coming weeks.
Article III Section 1 of the Wisconsin Constitution currently says, "Every United States citizen age 18 or older who is a resident of an election district in this state is a qualified elector of that district."
The affirmative vote will change that article to say, "Only a United States citizen age 18 or older who is a resident of an election district in this state is a qualified elector of that district."
Wisconsin constitutional amendments have to pass two consecutive legislative sessions and a statewide referendum to be legitimized. Republican lawmakers passed the language change in 2022 and again last year, each time without a single Democratic vote. Gov. Tony Evers can't veto constitutional amendments.
The push for this constitutional amendment was spurred by a number of municipalities across the country allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections, including the District of Columbia, although none in Wisconsin.
Six states already have adopted the language change and it’s on the ballot in seven other states besides Wisconsin this election.
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