Proof of Citizenship Requirements; Chart of State Legislation
Analysis
In the most recent session (2007–2008), legislators in 19 different states have proposed proof of citizenship requirements for voter registration, introducing bills that, if enacted, would direct state election officials to deny voter registration to applicants until they have produced documentation proving themselves citizens of the United States, with some states considering competing versions of such bills. The proof of citizenship requirements vary in terms such as the documentation that is satisfactory, who is grandfathered in, and the conditions that apply to re-registrants. Some bills have proof of citizenship requirements in combination with a requirement that would-be voters produce photographic identification at the polls. The chart here, last updated on 5/12/2008, sets forth the known bills and their current status. It does not speak to the viability of any of these bills.