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Posted on 10/06/2024 6:49:00 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
Once again, Wisconsinites will be asked to vote on whether or not to approve an amendment to the state constitution. And this time, it all comes down to one word.
"It is consequential," Republican state Sen. Julian Bradley told News 3 Now at a conservative poll observer training. "There's a huge difference between every and only."
Right now, section one of article III of the Wisconsin state constitution reads like this:
"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."
If passed, the amendment on the November ballot would change the word every to only, barring non-citizens from ever being allowed to vote in Wisconsin.
Federal law currently limits voting in federal elections to only U.S. citizens. There is nowhere in Wisconsin that allows or has plans to allow non-citizens to vote even in local elections. However, there are a handful of places in other parts of the country that allow some non-citizen voting in local elections including Washington D.C. and a few cities in California, Maryland and Vermont.
"On the one hand, it's a response to a problem that doesn't exist, particularly at the federal election level," said UW-Madison constitutional law expert Howard Schweber. "On the other hand, it is a hedge against the possibility of somebody trying to pass legislation with respect to state and or local elections that would allow non-citizens of one type or another to vote."
Proponents of the amendment, mainly Republicans, say it's essential to protecting U.S. elections.
"The fact that it's happening in other places is why we should be concerned about it," Sen. Bradley said. "It's incredibly important if we want to keep the right to vote to American citizens, we have to pass this constitutional amendment."
But others say there may be an ulterior motive here.
"What is sketchy is the way this thing is being pushed during this election cycle, as though there's some sort of crisis or some sort of threat, and as though this is an issue that somehow may affect a presidential election, and all of that is just nonsense," Schweber said. "So it's a perfectly legitimate and valid policy goal, it's just the performative aspects of it are designed to create fear and anger where none is particularly warranted."
To be clear, non-citizen does not necessarily mean undocumented people living in the United States.
"It can mean tourists, it can mean permanent residents, it can mean people with work permits who have jobs and pay taxes," Schweber said. "Non-citizens is a very broad and varied class."
Data shows non-citizen voting is rare in the United States, something Schweber says makes a lot of sense.
"One of the sort of problems with the whole narrative that some people in the Republican Party have been pushing that there are large numbers of non-citizens trying to vote, for example, in presidential elections, is that if anyone actually did that and got caught, they would face both a prison term and deportation," Schweber said. "It's just very, very hard to imagine why someone would think that risk was worth it for casting a single vote in a national election."
The bottom line
This is the question you'll see on your ballot this November:
“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?”
A vote of yes would change the constitution to prohibit non-citizens from ever voting in Wisconsin.
A vote of no would leave the constitution as is. Non-citizens would still not be allowed to vote in federal elections thanks to federal law and no municipalities in Wisconsin currently allow non-citizen voting in local elections.
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On, Wisconsin!
This is the question you'll see on your (Wisconsin) ballot this November:
“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?”
A vote of YES would change the constitution to prohibit non-citizens from ever voting in Wisconsin.
I know I’m preaching to the choir, but it is patently absurd this even has to be a question! Infuriating!
OK, so what about these stories that say that it is possible to register to vote in Wisconsin without even giving an address? Would this amendment stop that practice?
“Data shows non-citizen voting is rare in the United States, something Schweber says makes a lot of sense.”
Does Schweber want to play, “bet your job?”
If they are so sure that federal law bars non citizens from voting (despite mountains of evidence showing that it does), they should have no problem with the invalidation of all votes cast by non citizens. We already delay tabulation by more than enough time to allow for searching out and subtracting these “mistaken” votes. Adjustments to the vote totals need not be only additions. (Especially when those additions are all for one party).
Is that raw data or manipulated data?
It doesnt really matter how many variations of non-citizens there are because we know what they are not.
Schweber is trying to imply its racist fears of Mexican voting when he knows full well that bus loads of Dems from Chicago still dont count.
The left finds the holes and exploits them at the expense of citizens and the US Constitution to the leftist elites’ selfish benefit.
The right plugs the holes to protect citizens and uphold the US Constitution to righteously benefit citizens.
I would dare suggest that arguing with the demonstrably true premise merits punishment, as does supporting #1 at the expense of #2.
“Extreme.”
Gov Evers will never sign it.
I am betting this election will look more like Venezuela than the USA I was born in. I half believed after 2020 we had seen the last actual election now maybe 3/4 and if the courts do not intervene Harris will be declare the winner and we will be on our way to complete tyranny.
How could any sane person believe that Bidden or Harris are in charge of anything. Truth is I doubt 90% of the democrats have seen either of them actually speak, all they know is Trump is an evil racist.
Hard to imagine anyone would object.
This amendment has nothing to do with registering to vote. Here’s what Wisconsin requires for you to register to vote. All the basic info is here. It’s pretty straightforward. You’re probably confused because the Socialist Democrats LIE SO MUCH about people being ‘disenfranchised’ and they can’t vote. Wisconsin will GIVE YOU A FREE ID if you qualify.
https://elections.wi.gov/photoid#230548828-3147277712
“You must always provide a Proof of Residence document when registering to vote.”
We already neutered him with a different amendment to our Constitution that limits his veto powers. ;)
In this case, a Constitutional Amendment needs to go through our House and Assembly (Senate) TWICE, then it goes on the ballot and ‘We The People’ vote on it. The governor doesn’t get to veto this amendment that is chosen by the PEOPLE. He doesn’t sign it.
Thanks, hope it passes!
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