Ballot Measure 3State law · Citizen initiative
Clarify citizens-only voting
Explain it like I'm 5
Alaska already requires voters to be U.S. citizens. This adds the word “only,” like changing a sign from “members may enter” to “members only.”
Yes vote
Changing state law to say that only a U.S. citizen may vote in any election.
No vote
Leaving the current wording in place, while existing Alaska law and the state constitution continue to require U.S. citizenship.
The question to ask yourself
Is clearer wording worth the stated administrative cost when citizenship is already required?
The case for
- The wording makes the citizenship requirement more explicit.
- Supporters say it guards against future efforts to allow noncitizen voting.
- It does not add a new citizenship-document requirement for current voters.
Backed by: Alaskans for Citizen Voting, Americans for Citizen Voting
The case against
- Citizenship is already required, so the change may be unnecessary.
- The measure does not change who may legally vote now.
- Opponents may view it as emphasizing a problem without evidence that current law permits noncitizen voting.
Opposed by: National Association of Social Workers, Alaska Chapter, Alaska Democratic Party
- Money
- The official estimate is $114,050 for state election and lieutenant-governor offices, with no direct tax-rate change stated.
- Don't be misled
- Saying a no vote would let noncitizens vote is misleading because current Alaska law already requires U.S. citizenship.