Citizenship amendment on North Carolina ballots this fall

 North Carolina voters in November can amend the state constitution with stronger language to ensure citizenship in the United States is required to vote.

A message from the office of President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, said the state's citizen voter provision "Is not as strongly written as other states, and with Democrats seeking to give hundreds of thousands of noncitizens voting rights, there can be no room for doubt." House Bill 1074 would amend Section 1 of Article VI of the North Carolina Constitution to read, in part, "Only a citizen of the United States who is" Today, the section on who may vote begins, "Every person born in the United States and every person who has been naturalized" Proponents say what has happened in some municipalities, with legal voting rights given to noncitizens, is part of the impetus for change.

Critics say the move is suppressive, makes the state unwelcoming to immigrants and puts fear in voters.

Past amendments, such as photo voter identification, pushed by Republicans have often languished under a "Sue until it's blue" strategy of the rival party.

Brad Overcash of Gaston County, Buck Newton of Wilson County and Warren Daniel of Burke County said, "President Joe Biden has been asleep at the wheel the past four years, letting millions of people illegally cross the border into our country. Now, as voters are fleeing the Democratic party in droves, Democrats are seeking to fill the gap by extending voting rights to noncitizens. To combat this movement, we are empowering North Carolinians to approve a constitutional amendment to make it crystal clear that our elections are for U.S. citizens only." To wit, 20 years ago unaffiliated voters in the state trailed Democrats 47.6%-17.7% of the more than 5 million registered.

The voting bloc split of more than 7.5 million registered is 37.3% unaffiliated, 31.9% Democrats and 30% Republicans.

"Voting is a fundamental right and privilege reserved for citizens of the United States, and I am proud to support this effort to ensure the integrity of our elections." The proposal comes as American borders become more porous and people from dozens of countries around the world flood into the continental 48.

https://www.thecentersquare.com/north_carolina/article_b1bc3d96-34c0-11ef-983d-67a942c119a7.html