By Dave Workman
A new online poll of viewers by KOMO in Seattle reveals an overwhelming majority of respondents think proof of citizenship should be required in order to cast a vote.
At last count, more than 9,100 people had voted—it is set up to prevent anyone from casting more than one vote—and a whopping 86 percent support the proof-of-citizenship requirement.
According to the KOMO story which inspired the poll, there are five documentation options for people to prove their citizenship:
- A valid enhanced driver’s license or identicard for which proof of United States citizenship is required
- A valid U.S. passport
- A U.S. certificate of naturalization
- A United States Department of State consular report of birth abroad
- An original, certified birth certificate from a United States birthplace
Also, current valid Washington tribal identification cards are also accepted. However, birth certificates from Puerto Rico issued before July 1, 2010, and Washington state wallet-sized birth registrations are not accepted under this proposed law, the KOMO report said..
KOMO is reporting that petitioners have until Jan. 2, 2026 to collect and submit “nearly 309,000” valid signatures.
Initiative Measure No. IL26-126 spans nine pages. It was filed in May of this year and is supported by conservatives who are concerned about the integrity of elections in the Evergreen State, which have, in recent years, had newsworthy results, including the recent Seattle mayoral election, resulting in the election of Democratic Socialist Katie Wilson, who has never before held public office.
Recently, the State Republican Party brought in conservative activist Scott Presler to promote the initiative. The election results shifted dramatically in the days following the actual election, with late votes going almost entirely to Wilson.
KOMO quoted Democratic party spokesperson Stephen Reed, who insisted, “Out of millions of ballots cast, in the last, I believe five to 10 years, there’s only been one or two cases of fraudulent ballots, and the system found them. So clearly, the system works.”
He pointed to a study by the Brennan Center for Justice which said the incidences of noncitizens casting ballots in U.S. elections is “vanishingly rare.”
The state Democratic Party is opposing the initiative.
Workman is editor-in-chief at TheGunMag.com
