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Montana senator asks voters to limit state and local ballots to U.S. citizens
Summary
Sen. Teresa Mansella told the House State Administration Committee SB185 would amend the state constitution to replace 'any citizen' with 'only a citizen' in the elector definition, aiming to bar noncitizen voting in state and municipal contests and put the question before Montana voters.
Sen. Teresa Mansella introduced Senate Bill 185 to the House State Administration Committee, proposing a constitutional amendment to make the definition of a 'qualified elector' apply to 'only a citizen of the United States.' Mansella said the change is intended to close what she described as an ambiguity between 'any' and 'only' and to ensure that noncitizens cannot legally vote in state and local elections.
"If Senate Bill 185 is passed, it would take a large step in the direction of securing our state and local elections," Mansella told the panel, adding the amendment would go to the ballot for Montana voters to decide. She cited a June 2021 Phillips County instance where two noncitizens voted in a municipal race and said that local prosecutions and the close margin illustrated the importance of clearer constitutional language.
Austin James, speaking for Secretary of State Christy Jacobson, testified in support, calling the bill "a great change" that "just makes our constitution clearer." He and other proponents said the proposal mirrors changes adopted in other states and is narrowly focused on state and municipal contests, not federal elections. Witnesses from Americans for Citizen Voting and other advocacy groups presented polling figures they said show broad public support for specifying citizen-only electors.
Committee members pressed proponents on technical points, asking how 'citizen' would be defined and whether dual citizens or long-term residents would be affected. James said the definition of a U.S. citizen is established by federal naturalization law; committee members were also told county clerks generally check the registration attestation box but do not routinely verify citizenship beyond the registration process.
No formal action was taken. The hearing record included supporters who asked the committee to allow Montana voters to consider the amendment on the ballot and witnesses who warned of administrative and legal complexities if implementation is not carefully defined. The committee closed the SB185 hearing without a vote and moved on to other bills on the agenda.
