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Proof of Citizenship Requirements for Registration

Proof of citizenship laws require individuals to provide documents such as a passport or original birth certificate to be registered to vote. This is despite federal law already making it a crime for noncitizens to vote and requiring registrants to swear they are eligible under penalty of perjury. Proponents of these requirements claim these additional measures are necessary to prevent noncitizens from voting, even though repeated evidence shows the rates of noncitizens voting is extremely rare, and most often due to honest mistakes. In addition, existing safeguards already prevent ineligible individuals from voting. These laws disproportionately impact marginalized communities, create immense administrative and cost burdens on election officials, and disrupt current registration systems.
*Note: North Dakota does not require voter registration.
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Washington New York U.S. Virgin Islands Puerto Rico Guam Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands American Samoa New Hampshire Vermont Virginia Pennsylvania New York Maine West Virginia Ohio Kentucky Indiana Michigan Illinois Wisconsin North Carolina South Carolina Tennessee Georgia Florida Mississippi Missouri Arkansas Louisiana Iowa Minnesota Oklahoma Kansas Nebraska South Dakota North Dakota Texas 33 Colorado Wyoming Montana Idaho Arizona Utah Nevada Oregon California Hawaii Alaska Massachusetts Rhode Island Connecticut New Jersey Delaware Maryland Washington D.C. New Hampshire Vermont
  • State has a proof of citizenship requirement for registration (3 states)
  • State does not have a proof of citizenship requirement for registration (47 states + D.C.)
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Breakdown by Population

*Note: These percentages reflect the voting-eligible population, as reported by the United States Election Project.

4%

4 % of the population lives in states that have a proof of citizenship requirement for registration

96%

96 % of the population lives in states that do not have a proof of citizenship requirement for registration



Data current as of 03/06/2025
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The term “sexual orientation” is loosely defined as a person’s pattern of romantic or sexual attraction to people of the opposite sex or gender, the same sex or gender, or more than one sex or gender. Laws that explicitly mention sexual orientation primarily protect or harm lesbian, gay, and bisexual people. That said, transgender people who are lesbian, gay or bisexual can be affected by laws that explicitly mention sexual orientation.

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