Understanding your ballot, Wisconsin Constitutional Amendment

The Wisconsin Constitution states that ‘every’ U.S. citizen can vote in Wisconsin elections. However, at the bottom of the ballot is a statewide referendum asking voters for a Wisconsin Constitutional Amendment. This would change the state’s constitution to clearly prohibit non-U.S. citizens from voting in any election held in the state.

Article III Section 1 of the Wisconsin Constitution currently reads, “Every United States citizen age 18 or older who is a resident of an election district in this state is a qualified elector of that district.”

A “no” vote would preserve the current language, while a “yes” vote would change the article to say, “Only a United States citizen age 18 or older who is a resident of an election district in this state is a qualified elector of that district.”

Here’s the exact wording of the yes/no question: 

“Eligibility to vote. Shall section 1 of article III of the constitution, which deals with suffrage, be amended to provide that only a United States citizen age 18 or older who resides in an election district may vote in an election for national, state, or local office or at a statewide or local referendum?” 

The Wisconsin Constitutional Amendment is not the only amendment to happen to a state in recent years. Six states have already adopted the language and it’s on the ballot in seven other states besides Wisconsin in the 2024 cycle. The Heritage Foundation reported 23 instances of noncitizens voting nationwide between 2003 and 2022. One of those cases happened in Wisconsin.

Currently, only a handful of municipalities in the U.S. permit noncitizens to vote in local elections, but none of them are located in Wisconsin. The current municipalities allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections are located in California, Maryland, Vermont and includes the District of Columbia.

For another story about a Minnesota constitutional amendment this election season you can read more here.