Only Citizens Voting — The Very Heart of Democratic Self-Governance
- Sep 8
- 6 min read
By Patrice Johnson, Founder and Chair, Michigan Fair Elections Institute
September 8, 2025
[Editor's Note: On Wednesday, September 3, the Tea Party Patriots' Only Citizens Vote bus pulled into Lansing. This moving sign of support for American citizens voting was greeted by a group of Michigan patriots who cherish and want to protect that honored priviledge of citizenship. Patrice Johnson, founder and chair of Michigan Fair Elections Institute, was one of the featured speakers at the event and offered the following remarks.]
Fellow Americans, we gather today to discuss one of the most fundamental principles of our constitutional republic: the sacred right of American citizens—and only American citizens—to participate in our elections. This principle isn't merely a preference or tradition; it's a constitutional requirement that lies at the very heart of democratic self-governance.
The right to vote is perhaps our most precious civic responsibility. It's how we choose our representatives, shape our laws, and determine the direction of our nation. But when that sacred process is compromised — when non-citizens participate in elections meant exclusively for American citizens — we undermine the very foundation upon which our democracy stands.
The Constitutional Foundation
Our Constitution is clear: voting in federal elections is reserved for citizens. This isn't an accident of history or an outdated concept — it's a deliberate design feature of our system. The founders understood that citizenship carries both privileges and responsibilities. The privilege of voting comes with the responsibility of having a permanent stake in America's future.
Every illegal vote cast diminishes the power of every legal vote.
When we allow non-citizens to participate in federal elections, we dilute the votes of legitimate American citizens. Every illegal vote cast diminishes the power of every legal vote. This isn't just a technical violation — it's a fundamental betrayal of the social contract between government and its citizens.
Current Vulnerabilities in Michigan
Recent investigations by the Michigan Fair Elections Institute have revealed alarming weaknesses in our election integrity systems, particularly regarding overseas voting under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA).
Here are the sobering facts: In Michigan's 2024 election, 81.2% of overseas ballots — over 17,000 ballots — were transmitted electronically to civilian voters abroad with insufficient verification of their citizenship status. These aren't military personnel serving our country overseas; these are civilians who receive "protected status" without the rigorous verification processes we require of domestic voters.
Think about this for a moment: Michigan's Secretary of State has instructed clerks to afford all overseas non-military applicants "protected status," effectively waiving standard verification of identity, citizenship, and residency. While our military heroes serving in submarines or classified locations deserve every protection and accommodation, extending the same carte blanche to civilians living abroad creates a massive vulnerability in our election system.
The Numbers Tell the Story
The scope of this problem is staggering. Nationwide in 2024, civilian overseas voters represented 70.7% of UOCAVA ballots, while military voters made up only 26.3%. In Michigan specifically, civilians dominated overseas voting by more than 4 to 1 — 83% of overseas ballots came from non-military civilians in 2022.
These civilians can register using federal postcards that allow them to omit Social Security numbers, driver's licenses, or valid identification. They can vote electronically without the same signature verification required of domestic absentee voters. Most troubling, Michigan accepts unclear or un-postmarked ballots up to six days after Election Day from any carrier — creating a system ripe for abuse.
Real-World Consequences
This isn't theoretical. Michigan routinely accepts late-arriving UOCAVA ballots that violate federal Election Day deadlines. In the November 2024 election alone, Michigan counted 517 ballots received on November 6th, 497 on November 7th, and 473 on November 8th—all after the constitutionally mandated Election Day deadline.
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled clearly in Republican National Committee v. Wetzel that federal law requires ballots to be "both cast by voters and received by state officials" by Election Day. Yet Michigan continues to violate this federal requirement through state legislation that directly contradicts federal law.
The Broader Pattern
These UOCAVA vulnerabilities are part of a broader pattern of election integrity failures. Michigan's voter rolls contain an estimated 800,000 ineligible registrations, with registration rates exceeding the citizen voting-age population by approximately 570,000 people. This over-registration creates opportunities for vote dilution and fraud.
The state's online registration system allows people to register and vote without ever interacting with another human being, with minimal verification of identity, residency, or citizenship. College campuses, with their large populations of international students, present particular vulnerabilities when combined with same-day registration and inadequate verification procedures.
The Federal Response
President Trump's Executive Order 14248 represents a crucial first step toward addressing these vulnerabilities. The order mandates that the Election Assistance Commission require documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration and directs the Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute violations of federal election law.
This executive action recognizes what should be obvious: if you want to participate in American elections, you must first prove you are an American citizen. This isn't discrimination—it's the most basic requirement of democratic participation.
The Technology Challenge
Modern technology has created new vulnerabilities even as it offers new solutions. Electronic ballot transmission, while convenient for our military overseas, creates cybersecurity risks when extended to unverified civilian populations. The FBI, CISA, EAC, and NIST have all reported significant security risks with electronic voting systems.
Michigan's plan to expand electronic ballot returns to overseas civilians through a new portal, despite Attorney General Dana Nessel's opinion against such expansion, demonstrates the ongoing risk of administrative overreach undermining election security.
International Context
We must also consider that the United States hosts the largest share of international students globally — about 1.1 million non-citizens, representing 6% of all college students. In Michigan alone, 38,123 foreign students were enrolled in 2023-2024, marking a 13.8% year-over-year increase.
When we combine large non-citizen populations with loose verification requirements and same-day registration, we create a perfect storm for potential election integrity violations. This isn't about targeting any particular group — it's about ensuring that American elections are decided by Americans.
Solutions and the Path Forward
The solution isn't complicated, though it requires political will to implement. We must:
First, require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship for all voter registrations, including passports, REAL ID-compliant identification, or official military credentials for active service members.
Second, separate military and civilian overseas voting processes entirely. Military personnel deserve special accommodations due to their service and deployment circumstances. Civilians living abroad should meet the same verification standards as domestic voters.
Third, eliminate electronic ballot transmission for civilian overseas voters. If military personnel can use secure Common Access Cards for electronic voting, that's appropriate for their unique circumstances. Civilians should return paper ballots through established postal systems within legal deadlines.
Fourth, conduct regular audits of overseas voting processes to ensure compliance with federal law and identify potential violations before they affect election outcomes.
Fifth, align state laws with federal Election Day requirements. States cannot simply decide to accept ballots after federal deadlines through their own legislation.
The Stakes
The stakes couldn't be higher. Every illegal vote cast by a non-citizen doesn't just add one fraudulent ballot — it cancels out one legitimate vote cast by an American citizen. It's not a victimless crime; every American citizen is the victim when their voice is diminished by those who have no legal right to participate in our elections.
This erosion of election integrity undermines public trust in our democratic institutions. When citizens lose faith in the fairness and accuracy of elections, they lose faith in the legitimacy of government itself. This path leads to the breakdown of the social compact that holds our nation together.
A Bipartisan Imperative
Protecting citizens-only voting shouldn't be a partisan issue. Democrats and Republicans alike should agree that American elections should be decided by American citizens. This principle transcends party politics — it's about preserving the fundamental nature of democratic self-governance.
Democrats and Republicans alike should agree that American elections should be decided by American citizens. This principle transcends party politics — it's about preserving the fundamental nature of democratic self-governance.
The U.S. Citizens Elections Bill of Rights, developed through collaboration among election integrity groups across the nation, provides a framework for these essential reforms. Its principles include rigorous voter roll maintenance, secure voting systems, and full transparency — all designed to ensure elections reflect the true will of eligible American voters.
Conclusion
We stand at a crossroads. We can continue to allow our election systems to be compromised by inadequate verification, loose oversight, and administrative convenience. Or we can take decisive action to ensure that American elections remain the exclusive domain of American citizens.
The choice is ours, but the window for action is closing. Every election cycle that passes without meaningful reform makes our democracy more vulnerable and our citizens' voices weaker.
I call upon every American citizen listening today to demand action from their elected representatives. Contact your senators, your representatives, your governors, and your local election officials. Tell them that citizens-only voting isn't just a good idea — it's a constitutional requirement that must be enforced.
Contact your senators, your representatives, your governors, and your local election officials. Tell them that citizens-only voting isn't just a good idea — it's a constitutional requirement that must be enforced.
Our republic was founded on the principle that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. But that consent only has meaning if it comes from those who have the legal right to give it—American citizens, and only American citizens.
The preservation of our democracy depends on maintaining this fundamental principle. The time for half-measures and administrative convenience has passed. The time for citizens-only voting is now.
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