If Only Citizens Can Vote, Shouldn’t Missouri Verify Citizenship?
Inside the Debate Over Proof of Citizenship in Missouri
Earlier this week, Missouri lawmakers heard testimony on Senate Bill 986, legislation that would require documentary proof of citizenship when registering to vote.
The proposal is straightforward: if Missouri’s constitution says only citizens can vote, the state should have a way to verify citizenship when someone registers.
That may sound obvious. But as the hearing made clear, not everyone agrees.
Missouri Voters Already Decided the Principle
In 2024, Missouri voters overwhelmingly approved Amendment 7, changing a single word in the State Constitution that packed a big punch.
Instead of reading “all citizens” are entitled to the right to vote, Missouri’s Constitution now says plainly that “only citizens” are entitled to the right to vote.
But that raises an obvious question.
If only citizens can vote, shouldn’t the state verify citizenship when someone registers?
Right now, Missouri’s voter registration system relies on attestation. Applicants simply check a box affirming they are citizens and sign under penalty of perjury.
That means one of the most important rights in American civic life is operating on the honor system.
A legal requirement that cannot be verified is not much of a safeguard at all.
What the Bill Would Do
SB 986 would require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in Missouri elections.
This would:
- – Align voter registration with Missouri’s constitutional requirement that only citizens vote
- – Strengthen public confidence in elections
- – Prevent errors and potential abuse before they occur
The reality is, nine states already require documentary proof of citizenship when registering to vote, and several others are considering similar bills.
Citizenship is verified for employment, for travel, and when accessing government benefits.
Voting is one of the few areas where verification is absent.
Why Verification Matters
The policy is about enforcing a rule that already exists.
Under federal and state law, only U.S. citizens may vote in American elections. The question is whether voter registration systems should rely solely on self-attestation or verify that requirement.
It is far too easy for non-citizens to register to vote under an attestation system.
Without verification, the rule has no teeth.
When illegal votes are cast, eligible voters’ voices are diluted.
The bill does not create a new qualification for voting.
It verifies the citizenship requirement that already exists in law.
The Bottom Line
Should Missouri’s election laws actually reflect the constitutional principle voters already adopted: that only citizens should vote in Missouri elections?
If that voice of the people matters, then verification matters too.
Andy Bakker
Executive Director
Liberty Alliance USA