Vote No on the Redundant Constitutional Amendment

 

In November, Kansas voters will decide whether to approve a proposed state constitutional amendment.  

According to the explanatory statement on the ballot, the amendment, "would clarify that only a person who is a citizen of the United States is eligible to vote in this state." 

There is no significant or widespread problem concerning non-citizens attempting to vote in US elections.

Only US citizens are allowed to vote in Kansas. This fact is already clear from the text of the Kansas Constitution that the proposed amendment would modify. 

 

 

Republicans have long peddled false claims about widespread voter fraud, as well as false claims about illegal immigrants committing voter fraud and illegally swaying the results of elections. 

The proposed amendment exists as a result of this false narrative that arises from the lies propagated by the right-wing echo chamber. 

 

As a practical matter, it doesn't appear that the proposed amendment would, on its own, actually do anything that the current language in the Kansas Constitution doesn't already do.  

The proposed amendment is a solution in search of a problem.

 

 

If the amendment passes, Republicans who wish to pass legislation to enact proof-of-citizenship requirements, which would make it harder to vote, could cite voters' approval of the amendment to argue that the public supports their efforts.  

Although, I'm sure that Republicans will attempt to pass these measures regardless, and the approval of the proposed amendment doesn't appear to make any legal changes that would make their efforts more likely to succeed. 

 

 

Here is the passage in the Kansas Constitution that the proposed amendment would modify.

This text shows how the passage currently reads.  

It is how the text will continue to read, if voters reject the proposed amendment. 

 

This document shows the changes that the proposed amendment would make to the Kansas Constitution.

This information can also be seen on sample ballots available to Kansas voters. 

 

KU Professor Amii Castle wrote an editorial for the Kansas Reflector opposing the proposed amendment. 

 

 

The proposed amendment is redundant and unnecessary.

While it doesn't appear to make any meaningful legal changes on its own, it could be used rhetorically to support future legislation that would make it harder for US citizens to vote.

 

I voted against the proposed state constitutional amendment, and I encourage other Kansas voters to do the same.  

 

I support the city sales tax for road work and oppose the redundant state constitutional amendment.