FRANKFORT, Ky. — Groups looking to sway voters one way or another are ramping up their efforts with Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, just three weeks away. That includes Amendment 1, one of two ballot measures on this year’s ballot.

What You Need To Know

  • Kentuckians will vote on two ballot measures in the 2024 general election 

  • Amendment 1 seeks to explicitly state noncitizens cannot vote in elections

  • Opponents of the measure said they believe it will discourage naturalized citizens from participating in elections

  • Supports said the amendment protects future elections from being influenced by bad actors

Community leaders, along with former and current elected officials, spoke not far from the State Capitol against the issue Monday afternoon. Opponents said they believe it’s not something that is needed in Kentucky.

“This amendment is more about stirring fear than it is about improving election security,” said State Rep. Nima Kulkarni, D-Louisville.

Kulkarni is the legislature’s first foreign-born legislator and called Amendment 1 both unnecessary and harmful.

“Newly naturalized citizens who have legally earned the right to vote will feel intimidated or face greater scrutiny at polling locations simply because of how they look or where they come from,” she said.

Amendment 1 seeks to change the state constitution by explicitly barring noncitizens from participating in elections. A "yes" vote supports making this change; a "no" implies to keep the constitution as written.

Secretary of State Michael Adams, R-Ky., told lawmakers in June he has seen no evidence of noncitizens voting or attempting to vote in Kentucky.

A second ballot measure, Amendment 2, will also be on this year’s ballot. It will ask voters if they are in favor of allowing the state to allocate dollars to non-public schools.

Supporters of Amendment 1 like State Rep. John Hodgson, R-Fisherville, said they believe it is a preemptive measure that protects future Kentucky elections from potential bad actors.

“It’s in the law now but not in the (state) constitution spelled out exactly, so we’re going to spell it out exactly so in the future some activist judge does not decide to see a variation in the law,” Hodgson said.

A handful of cities in states like California, Maryland and Vermont allow participation in local elections. No Kentucky cities or states allow this. Federal law prohibits noncitizens from voting in national elections.

“If no problem exists, why are we introducing this amendment at all?" Kulkarni said.

Voters in Kentucky and seven other states will see the issues of noncitizen voting on their ballots this year.

To pass, Amendment 1 will need a "yes" vote by more than 50% of voters.

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