A bill that would prevent non-citizens from voting in Kentucky has passed the Kentucky General Assembly.
Senate Bill 143 passed on a 72-12 vote March 15. It previously passed the Senate on a 31-4 vote February 14.
The bill, sponsored by Jason Howell (R-Murray), will put a constitutional amendment to Kentucky voters in this fall’s general election. The amendment would “explicitly affirm that only United States citizens are eligible to vote in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.”
“It’s odd we don’t already have this spelled out in our Constitution. While this is specifically prohibited at the federal level, it isn’t addressed here in Kentucky,” Howell said. “This is about protecting citizens and the thousands of people who’ve lawfully navigated the immigration process. One of the rewards of doing so is earning the right to vote.”
Supporters say the bill is meant to secure the electoral process and uphold the principle of voting rights. Because it received a two-thirds majority vote in the House and Senate, the proposed constitutional amendment will be put on the fall general election ballot for voters to decide.
Kentucky isn’t alone in taking up this type of legislation.
West Virginia lawmakers introduced similar legislation in both houses. The House of Delegates passed its version – House Joint Resolution 21 – on a 96-0 vote February 6. It then passed the state Senate on a 32-0 vote March 9, the final day of the regular session, with a minor change that had to be approved by the House.
But a technical glitch temporarily showed the measure as being completed. By the time the problem was realized, it was too late for it and a host of other measures to be taken across the finish line because of a Democratic filibuster.
