and other taxing entities. The revenue generated is on top of existing levies.

STATE QUESTION 834 SUMMARY: State Question 834, referred to voters by the legislature this past Spring, amends Section 1 of the Oklahoma Constitution to clarify that only United States citizens are qualified to vote in Oklahoma elections. Proponents of the change claim, without citing specific cases, that the U.S. faces an unprecedented threat from non-citizens voting in elections. Opponents claim the vote is unnecessary because Oklahoma law already makes it a felony for non-citizens to register to vote. Proponents say the Constitutional change is needed in case a court challenge prevails that allows non-citizens to cast ballots in state elections.

Six other states have similar measures on this year’s General Election Ballot. They are Wisconsin, North Carolina, South Carolina, Iowa, Kentucky and Missouri. Since 2018, North Dakota, Colorado, Alabama, Florida, Ohio and Louisiana have made constitutional changes specifically banning non-citizens from voting.

The U.S. Congress voted in 1996 to ban non-citizen voting in federal elections such as for the U.S. House, Senate and Presidency. However, federal lawmakers did not address state or local elections. Noncitizens in the District of Columbia and some California, Maryland and Vermont municipalities are allowed to vote in some or all local elections.