Democrats ‘divorced from voters’ as 5 states back citizen-only voting, bolstering GOP push

Voters in Kansas, Alaska, Arkansas, South Dakota and West Virginia approved measures requiring citizenship to vote in state and local elections, each with more than 60% support. The results give Republicans and election integrity advocates backing for their push to require proof of citizenship when registering for federal elections, although federal law already bars noncitizens from voting in those contests.

The measures passed even as a Democratic Senate candidate won an upset in Kansas and Alaska’s Senate race remained uncalled. A 2024 Gallup poll cited in the article found 83% of Americans, including 66% of Democrats, support proof of citizenship for first-time voter registration. Similar measures failed in California and Arizona, while the Supreme Court is preparing to consider Arizona’s authority to require citizenship documents on its state registration form and remove suspected noncitizens from voter rolls.