US Congressman Says Introduced Bill To Help Prevent Non-Citizens From Voting In Elections

US Congressman Morgan Griffith said on Thursday that he introduced a bill to help prevent non-citizens in the United States from voting in federal elections by clarifying and amending previous voting legislation

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th July, 2023) US Congressman Morgan Griffith said on Thursday that he introduced a bill to help prevent non-citizens in the United States from voting in Federal elections by clarifying and amending previous voting legislation.

The bill helps ensure only eligible US citizens vote in federal elections by amending the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 and the Help America Vote Act of 2002, Griffith said in a statement.

"One of the rights and privileges granted in the US Constitution is an American citizen's ability to vote in our country's federal elections," Griffith said. "If non-citizens are allowed to vote in our federal elections, it could invite foreign interference and dilute the voice of American citizens."

Griffith's bill is dubbed the Non-Citizens Outlawed from Voting in Our Trusted Elections Act of 2023 (NO VOTE for Non-Citizens Act).

The legislation is intended to be a clarification of state authority, not an expansion of federal power, according to the bill text.

The NO VOTE for Non-Citizens Act clarifies the authority of states to remove non-citizens from voting roles and requires states to maintain separate voter roles for non-citizens, the bill text said.

The bill also reduces payments to states under the Help America Vote Act by 30% if they allow non-citizens to vote in elections for public office.

Additionally, the bill amends the National Voter Registration Act to codify a ban on non-citizens voting in federal elections, with penalties including a fine and a prison sentence of up to a year.

The NO VOTE for Non-Citizens Act upholds Americans' right to vote and preserves its democracy, Griffith said.