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SJR 37

Proposing a constitutional amendment clarifying that a voter must be a United States citizen.

89th Legislature (2025) Introduced by Daniel Alders and 40 co-sponsors

Texas constitutional amendment explicitly requires US citizenship for voting, enshrining existing statutory requirements into state constitution via voter referendum.

Filed with the Secretary of State
#aliens(i0032) #elections--registration&suffrage(i0265) #resolutions--constitutionalamendments(i0661)
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Bill Summary · SJR 37

Legislative bill overview

SJR 37 proposes a constitutional amendment to the Texas Constitution explicitly stating that voters must be United States citizens. This clarification would be added to the state's governing document and requires voter approval through a referendum to take effect.

Why is this important

Current Texas law already requires citizenship for voter registration, but this amendment would enshrine the requirement directly in the state constitution, making it a fundamental principle rather than a statutory rule. This elevates citizenship requirements beyond what federal or state law changes could easily modify and reflects ongoing national debates about voting eligibility and election security.

Potential points of contention

  • Redundancy concern: Texas Election Code already mandates citizenship for registration; critics argue this amendment is unnecessary and may signal lack of confidence in existing enforcement mechanisms
  • Symbolic vs. substantive: Supporters view it as essential constitutional clarity, while opponents may see it as a political statement rather than addressing actual problems with non-citizen voting
  • Voter suppression framing: Some argue that emphasizing citizenship requirements could be interpreted as part of broader voting restriction efforts, while supporters counter it merely codifies existing law

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

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