Overview
- Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach filed six felony counts against Coldwater Mayor Joe Ceballos, alleging he voted as a noncitizen in three elections.
- Ceballos, a Mexican-born green card holder, is accused of election perjury and voting without being qualified; he has not entered a plea.
- Federal officials say his voter registration indicated U.S. citizenship, while his naturalization application did not, and he applied for citizenship only this year.
- His attorney says Ceballos believed he was eligible to vote, and Ceballos has temporarily stepped away from mayoral duties with a first court appearance set for Dec. 3.
- If convicted, he could face prison, removal from office, and deportation, while DHS officials point to states’ use of the SAVE database to vet voter rolls and expect removal proceedings after any conviction.