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Kentucky voters are considering a Constitutional Amendment on voting

file photo-Lexington voting location
Stu Johnson
file photo-Lexington voting location

A great deal of attention this fall in Kentucky has centered on Amendment Two on the ballot. It pertains to the use of public education funds for private school tuition. Amendment One will also state a question. It seeks to change the Commonwealth’s Constitution to specifically state one must be a legal citizen to vote in Kentucky. Bill Co-Sponsor Senator Greg Elkins said Secretary of State Michael Adams testified that it was not an issue at this time.

“And it’s to safeguard against some law being passed because currently while it may be law, law is easy to change, but a Constitution is not,” said Elkins.

 Elkins said passage of Amendment One would also ensure in the future that a legal non-citizen, such as someone with a work visa, could not vote. And Elkins noted it would ensure that down the road a current or future legislature or judge doesn’t change that to include non-legal citizens

Jackson Cooper with the Kentucky Equal Justice Center said Amendment One is unnecessary at best. He noted there have not been any cases of non-citizens voting in Kentucky. Cooper, director of legal programs, said there’s also been no indication of any attempt to expand voting to non-U.S. citizens.

 “I just generally think at a time when anti-immigrant and anti-migrant and anti-non-citizens sentiments are being stoked on a national level, it’s unfortunate that we’re attempting to codify that kind of thing into the Kentucky Constitution,” said Cooper.

Both of these questions are included in the presidential ballot across Kentucky.

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Stu Johnson retired from WEKU in November, 2024 after reporting for the station for 40 years. Stu's primary beat was Lexington/Fayette government.
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