Georgia Senate Rejects Plan Amend Constitution to Ban non-U.S. Citizens From Voting

The Georgia Senate has narrowly rejected a plan to amend the state constitution to include a ban on voting by non-U.S. citizens that is already in state law.

Senate Resolution 363 won a 33-14 majority, but fell short of the two-thirds majority of 38 needed for a constitutional amendment on a party line vote, with Democrats opposing the measure and Republicans supporting it.

Republicans said the change is needed to clarify the constitution to reflect state law that says only citizens of the United States and residents of Georgia can vote.

Senate President Pro Tem Butch Miller, a Gainesville Republican who sponsored the measure said after the vote that all Republicans were trying to do was to take what’s in Georgia code and put it in the Georgia constitution.

He said one person voting who is not eligible to vote is one too many.

Democrats also said they only want citizens to vote, but say the move is unnecessary political theater aimed at motivating Republican voters in an election year.

Miller is running for lieutenant governor, seeking the Republican nomination against others including state Sen. Burt Jones of Jackson, who has been endorsed by former President Donald Trump.