Kansas Voting Law Blocked

Federal Judge Blocks Kansas Citizenship Requirement for Voting

A federal judge has blocked a Kansas law that demands Kansans who are registering to vote furnish proof of US citizenship. Many states over the past six years have focused legislative and financial resources on enshrining laws that increase the requirements that an individual has before she can vote. Voting is romantically seen as the right of every American, but states have strategically attempted to craft “voter ID” laws that disproportionately affect certain classes of people. Kris Kobach is the Secretary of State in Kansas and also one of the authors of SB 1070, the Arizona law that caused a furor and was struck down at the Supreme Court. The ruling means that he is not permitted to enforce the law. The judge ruled that minuscule impact of citizen voter dilution by non-citizen voting is outweighed by the disenfranchisement of US voters. At the time of this ruling, over a thousand Kansans were waiting for their voting verification.

As far as non-immigrant and permanent resident concerns go, the law would have no effect. Nonimmigrants and Permanent Residents are not allowed to vote in the United States (save for very few municipal exceptions for Permanent Residents). This is crucial, especially in an election year. Voting is a right of US citizens only. Only US citizens should register to vote. Many immigrants who obtain their driver’s licenses at the DMV may concurrently be given a voter registration form and may even be persuaded that they are permitted to vote and register to vote. That is not the case. Whether it is heard at a government agency or on a college campus, only US citizens are allowed to register to vote. Only US citizens can vote in US elections. Permanent Residence brings about the legal ability to travel, work, and sponsor certain family members for Permanent Residence. It does not enable you to vote. In Pennsylvania, you must be a citizen for 30 days before you can register to vote.