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Texas Voters Approve Constitutional Ban on Noncitizen Voting

The measure embeds a citizen-only requirement already in state law into the constitution, making any change far more difficult.

Overview

  • Unofficial results show Proposition 16 passing with roughly 71–72 percent support.
  • SJR 37 adds the phrase "persons who are not citizens of the United States" to the list of those barred from voting in Texas.
  • Any future change would require a two‑thirds vote in the legislature and approval by voters through another amendment.
  • Gov. Greg Abbott celebrated the result, stating that only U.S. citizens can vote in Texas elections.
  • The move aligns with a broader trend as other states plan similar votes next year, while federal law already prohibits noncitizen voting in federal races and some jurisdictions allow noncitizen voting in local elections.