Senator Bryan Hughes has introduced SB 309, a bill that would require proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in Texas. While federal law states that only U.S. citizens can vote in elections, current registration rules do not require individuals to provide proof of citizenship. Efforts to enforce such a requirement at the state level have been blocked by federal authorities.
A federal bill is currently in motion to mandate proof of citizenship for voter registration nationwide. However, Texas isn’t waiting on Washington. SB 309 would ensure that anyone registering to vote in the state must first provide valid documentation confirming their citizenship.
The principle behind the bill Hughes says is straightforward—only U.S. citizens should be allowed to vote in U.S. elections. Yet, there is opposition to requiring proof of citizenship to register. SB 309 seeks to close this loophole, reinforcing election integrity and ensuring that Texas elections remain secure.
In January 2022, American Faith reported suspected non-citizen voters have been referred to counties for investigation, and more than 2,000 have already been removed from rolls, Texas Secretary of State John Scott said.
An audit of Texas voter rolls identified nearly 12,000 non-citizens suspected of illegally registering to vote and nearly 600 cases in which ballots may have been cast in the name of a dead resident or by a voter who may also have voted in another state.
Texas Secretary of State John Scott released the findings of the first phase of his audit on the last day of 2021, announcing 224,585 deceased residents were removed from state voters rolls as a result of the review
Statewide, a total of 11,737 potential non-U.S. citizens were identified as being registered to cast ballots, with the lion’s share located in the counties around Texas two largest cities of Houston and Dallas. It is illegal for foreigners to vote in Texas elections.
