> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.theamericanquorum.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# West Virginia Voters to Decide Citizenship Amendment November 3
- URL: https://www.theamericanquorum.com/state-news-west-virginia-2026-09-15-b/
- Published: 2026-09-16T02:45:04.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-16T02:45:04.000Z
- Description: West Virginia voters will decide Amendment 1 on November 3, determining whether the state constitution should explicitly reserve voting in every state and local election to U.S. citizens who are West Virginia citizens.
- Author: News Desk
- Tags: State News, Virginia, West Virginia

West Virginia voters will decide November 3 whether to amend the state constitution to say explicitly that only United States citizens who are West Virginia citizens may vote in every election held in the state.

The Legislature’s [enrolled Senate Joint Resolution 9](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill%5FStatus/bills%5Ftext.cfm?billdoc=sjr9+sub1+enr.htm&billtype=jr&houseorig=s&i=9&sesstype=RS&yr=2026&ref=theamericanquorum.com) places the question on the general-election ballot as Amendment 1, formally titled the Citizenship Requirement to Vote in West Virginia Elections Amendment. It would rewrite Article IV, Section 1 so that it begins: “Only citizens of the United States who are citizens of this state shall be entitled to vote.”

The proposal would not newly bar noncitizens from registering. Existing [West Virginia law](https://code.wvlegislature.gov/3-2-2/?ref=theamericanquorum.com) already requires a voter-registration applicant to be a U.S. citizen, a state and county resident and otherwise qualified. The Secretary of State likewise tells prospective voters that they must be [natural-born or naturalized U.S. citizens](https://sos.wv.gov/elections/voter-information/elections-frequently-asked-questions-faqs?ref=theamericanquorum.com) before registering.

The practical change is durability and scope. Putting the requirement in the constitution would prevent a future Legislature from changing it through an ordinary bill and would bind municipal as well as state and county elections unless voters later approved another constitutional amendment. The measure does not create a documentary proof-of-citizenship requirement and does not itself change voter-identification procedures.

Sen. Patricia Rucker, the amendment’s lead sponsor, said Tuesday that statutory protection is insufficient because lawmakers can alter state code in a regular session. Supporters also argue that constitutional wording would prevent a future municipality from extending local voting rights to noncitizens.

Opponents, including the League of Women Voters of West Virginia and West Virginia Citizens for Clean Elections, say the amendment is unnecessary because federal and state law already restrict voting to citizens. [West Virginia Watch reported](https://westvirginiawatch.com/2026/09/15/wv-voters-will-decide-on-proposed-citizen-only-voting-constitutional-amendment-in-november/?ref=theamericanquorum.com) that Rucker was unaware of any noncitizen prosecution for illegally voting in a state election, although she described encountering people who appeared to have registered inadvertently.

The resolution was adopted March 14 after receiving the constitutionally required support in both chambers. Under the [state constitution’s amendment process](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/wvcode/wv%5Fcon.cfm?ref=theamericanquorum.com), a proposed amendment must receive two-thirds support in each legislative chamber and then a majority of votes cast on the ballot question. If Amendment 1 receives that majority, it becomes part of the constitution upon ratification.

Voters should distinguish the question from separate debates over photo identification, proof-of-citizenship documents or mail voting. Amendment 1 asks only whether the citizenship limitation already reflected in registration law should be written directly into the state constitution.

The Secretary of State’s office, which administers elections, told West Virginia Watch that it does not take a formal position on ballot measures. That leaves the campaign over Amendment 1 to lawmakers and outside groups on both sides while election officials focus on administering the vote.

The general election is November 3\. The most consequential effect of a “yes” vote would be to remove future legislative and local discretion on noncitizen voting; a “no” vote would leave the current constitutional language and existing statutory citizenship requirement in place.