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Citizenship Voting Requirement Amendment | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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 County results Precinct results
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| Source:Ohio Secretary of State | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Issue 2, also known as theCitizenship Voting Requirement Amendment, was aballot measure approved by voters inOhio during the2022 United States elections. It amended theOhio Constitution to require that only citizens who met voting criteria are allowed to vote in state or local elections.[1]
Supporters of the measure claimed it protected "the integrity of elections," and would make elections more efficient administratively. Opponents claimed it "enhanced democracy," that it perpetuatedelection fraud claims.[2]
The ballot measure passed with 76.90% of the vote.[3]
Before the election, theOhio Constitution stated that regardless of citizenship, residents who were 18 years or older and had been registered to vote for 30 days could vote at all elections.[1][2]
In 2019, the Ohio town ofYellow Springs voted under a similar referendum to allow non-citizens to vote. However,Ohio Secretary of StateFrank LaRose criticized the result, calling it unconstitutional. This led toRepublican lawmakers tabling the ballot measure.[4] The ballot measure required a simple majority to pass.
According to the2020 United States census, around 2% of Ohio's resident population were non-citizens.[2]
Ohio Secretary of StateFrank LaRose supported the measure, saying that giving non-citizens voting rights "undermine the value of what it means to be American."[5]
Democraticstate representativeMichael J. Skindell claimed that non-citizens contribute to society, and that "they have a right to have a voice, and we should allow that."[6] Additionally, some opponents have argued that the ballot measure supported claims ofvoter fraud.[2]
Pre-election polling suggested that Issue 2 was likely to pass by a considerable margin.[7]
The ballot measure altered Section 1 of Article V, Section 3 of Article X, and Section 3 of Article XVIII of theOhio Constitution.[1]
The proposal appeared on the ballot as follows:[1]
If passed, the amendment will be effective immediately.
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
 Yes | 3,099,868 | 76.90 |
| No | 931,205 | 23.10 |
| Valid votes | 4,031,073 | 95.95 |
| Invalid or blank votes | 170,295 | 4.05 |
| Total votes | 4,201,368 | 100.00 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 8,029,950 | 52.32 |
| Source:Ohio Secretary of State | ||
