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Bill

SB 185

Constitutional amendment regarding qualified elector to require that only a citizen can vote

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Theresa Manzella

Constitutional amendment requiring U.S. citizenship for voting—redundantly enshrining existing Montana law at constitutional level, died in legislative process.

(S) Died in Process
#constitutionalamendmentproposals #elections(seealso:ballotissues)
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SB 185

Legislative bill overview

SB 185 proposes a constitutional amendment to Montana's state constitution explicitly requiring that only U.S. citizens can vote in elections. Currently, Montana law already restricts voting to citizens, but this amendment would enshrine that requirement directly in the constitutional text rather than relying solely on statutory law.

Why is this important

Constitutional amendments are difficult to change and represent the highest level of legal protection. Proponents argue this prevents future legislatures from potentially lowering voting eligibility requirements. However, the bill's practical impact is limited since federal law (14th Amendment) and existing Montana statute already restrict voting to citizens—no non-citizen voting is currently permitted or proposed.

Potential points of contention

  • Redundancy: Montana law already restricts voting to citizens; the amendment adds constitutional-level protection to something already statutorily secured, raising questions about necessity
  • Signal vs. substance: Critics may view this as symbolic politics addressing a non-existent problem, while supporters see it as preventive safeguarding against hypothetical future changes
  • Amendment threshold: Constitutional amendments require legislative supermajority and voter approval, making this a high-bar process for codifying existing practice

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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