Citizenship Voting Requirement AmendmentConstitutional amendment · Put on the ballot by lawmakers
Citizenship Required to Vote
Explain it like I'm 5
West Virginia already has a rule that only U.S. citizens can vote. This amendment would also carve that rule into the state Constitution, like putting a school rule in the school’s main rulebook.
Yes vote
Adding to the West Virginia Constitution that only U.S. citizens who are citizens of West Virginia may vote in state elections.
No vote
Keeping the current constitutional wording while existing state and federal laws continue to require U.S. citizenship to vote.
The question to ask yourself
Is reinforcing an existing rule in the Constitution worth making it harder to change later?
The case for
- Makes the citizenship requirement explicit in the state Constitution.
- Makes the rule harder for future lawmakers or local governments to change.
- Supporters say constitutional language provides stronger protection against future legal challenges.
Backed by: No organized campaign found
The case against
- West Virginia law already prohibits noncitizens from voting, so the amendment may change little in practice.
- Critics say it addresses a rare or unsupported problem instead of a current voting concern.
- Putting the rule in the Constitution could make future election-law changes harder.
Opposed by: No organized opposition found
- Money
- No direct cost, tax effect, or spending requirement was stated in the cited ballot materials.
- Don't be misled
- It is misleading to say the amendment newly makes noncitizen voting illegal, because existing law already prohibits it.