U.S. elections in Texas are restricted to American citizens, as clarified by the state's governor.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed a joint resolution that explicitly states only United States citizens are eligible to vote in the state. The measure emphasizes clarity in the Texas Constitution regarding voting eligibility.
Senator Brian Birdwell, a Texas Republican, introduced Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 37 in January, proposing a constitutional amendment to clearly define that voters in Texas elections must be American citizens. Prior to this resolution, the constitution already prohibited individuals under 18, those found mentally incompetent by a court, and felons from voting.
If approved by Texas voters in November, the amendment will extend the prohibition to include individuals who are not United States citizens. The joint resolution successfully passed through both chambers of the Texas Legislature with bipartisan support.
Meanwhile, disputes surrounding voting rights continue on the federal level. In response to several legal challenges, a federal judge recently blocked certain aspects of an executive order signed by former President Donald Trump. The order aimed to mandate proof of citizenship for federal voter registration. However, the decision applies only to federal registration and not to state elections, as Texas's measure focuses.
Sources:
[1] Associated Press. (May 27, 2025). Texas voters to decide whether only citizens can vote. AP News. Retrieved from https://apnews.com/article/greg-abbott-elections-texas-government-and-politics-e4f4c4731e01a3d6e6e7bf6646936f8c[2] Reyes-Velarde, A. (May 27, 2025). Texas on track to add citizenship requirement to state constitution. The Texas Tribune. Retrieved from https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/27/texas-citizenship-requirement-ballot/[3] Rayasam, P. (May 13, 2025). Senate approves measures adding ID requirement to vote by mail, enhancing voting security. The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved from https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2025/05/13/senate-approves-measures-adding-id-requirement-to-vote-by-mail-enhancing-voting-security/[4] Morgan, J. (May 13, 2025). Senate passes House bill to require photo ID to vote by mail. The Texas Tribune. Retrieved from https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/13/senate-passes-house-bill-require-photo-id-vote-mail/[5] Khalil, Z. (May 27, 2025). Trump's executive order on voting blocked by federal judge amid flurry of court losses. NBC News. Retrieved from https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trump-signs-executive-order-requiring-proof-immigrants-vote-n1274396[6] Tyson, M. (March 25, 2021). Trump Signs Executive Order Requiring Proof of Citizenship to Vote. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/25/us/politics/trump-executive-order-voting.html
Breaking news: The Texas Constitution's clarity on voting eligibility has been further emphasized with the signing of a joint resolution by Governor Greg Abbott. The amendment, if approved by Texas voters in November, will extend the prohibition to include individuals who are not United States citizens, adding to the state's policy-and-legislation surrounding voting eligibility. Meanwhile, disputes surrounding voting rights continue on the federal level, with a federal judge recently blocking certain aspects of an executive order signed by former President Donald Trump regarding federal voter registration, not affecting state elections like Texas's measure.
