Proof of citizenship laws require individuals to provide documents such as a passport or original birth certificate to be registered to vote. This is despite federal law already making it a crime for noncitizens to vote and requiring registrants to swear they are eligible under penalty of perjury. Proponents of these requirements claim these additional measures are necessary to prevent noncitizens from voting, even though
repeated evidence shows the rates of noncitizens voting is extremely rare, and most often due to honest mistakes. In addition, existing
safeguards already prevent ineligible individuals from voting. These laws disproportionately impact marginalized communities, create immense administrative and cost burdens on election officials, and disrupt current registration systems.
*Note: North Dakota does not require voter registration.
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State has a proof of citizenship requirement for registration
(4 states)
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State does not have a proof of citizenship requirement for registration
(46 states + D.C.)
Movement Advancement Project. "Proof of Citizenship Requirements for Registration." https://www.mapresearch.org/democracy-maps/proof_of_citizenship_requirements. Accessed [day of access]
Breakdown by Population
*Note: These percentages reflect the voting-eligible population, as reported by the United States Election Project.
4 % of the population lives in states that have a proof of citizenship requirement for registration
96 % of the population lives in states that do not have a proof of citizenship requirement for registration
