AUSTIN - With Texas’ 88th Legislative Session winding down, a joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment clarifying that voters must be U.S. citizens will be read for the third and final time today.
SJR 35 was introduced by Sen. Brian Birdwell, who previously stated that the amendment is necessary to preserve election integrity and keep the process secure.
The resolution passed the Texas Senate by a vote of 29-1.
In the House, SJR was read for a second time yesterday and received 87 yeas, 1 nay and 58 present with the majority of Democrats opting not to vote.
In order to get a constitutional amendment on the ballot, the resolution must receive 100 votes in favor.
A total of four Democrats in favor of SJR 35 voted along with all Republicans yesterday.
Currently, more than a dozen states and municipalities allow non-citizen voting in local elections. Back in October, the D.C. Council voted to allow non-citizen residents the right to vote in local elections.
On Feb. 9, the House passed HJR 24, disapproving the action of the D.C. Council in approving the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022. A total of 260 representatives voted in favor of the resolution, including 42 Democrats, several of which call Texas home.
An Americans for Citizen Voting poll found that 75 percent of voters oppose allowing people who are not U.S. citizens to vote in local elections, with only 20 percent in favor.
If passed, the proposed constitutional amendment would be submitted to voters at an election to be held on Nov. 7, 2023.