Proposition 16 (SJR 37) A Trojan Horse

What is Proposition 16, Bill S.J.R. 37?

On the surface, S.J.R. 37 looks simple. It proposes a constitutional amendment to state that only U.S. citizens can vote in Texas elections. Sounds reasonable, right? After all, Texas law already requires this.

But here’s the truth: S.J.R. 37 changes nothing about who can vote today. What it does change is the political landscape around voting, and not for the better.

Redundant Law with Real Risks

The Texas Election Code already makes citizenship a requirement for voter registration. There’s no wave of non-citizens voting in our elections—there’s no evidence of it happening in any significant number at all.

So why put this in the constitution? Because it’s a messaging tactic. It creates the illusion of a problem, then sells the amendment as the solution. And history tells us where this kind of political theater leads: stricter voting laws that hurt real, eligible voters.

This is especially alarming in a state like Texas, which is already widely recognized as one of the most difficult states in the country for citizens to vote in. A 2020 study ranked Texas dead last in ease of voting, thanks to stringent registration rules, early deadlines, and reduced polling places—particularly in areas serving communities of color. In other words, we’re not starting from a neutral baseline—we’re starting from behind.

Efforts like SJR 37 are often followed by “integrity measures” that sound harmless but make it harder to vote, particularly for working-class Texans, seniors, students, and communities of color. That means:

• Harsher voter ID requirements that some can’t easily meet
• Purging voter rolls based on flawed data
• Narrowing voting hours and locations in ways that target specific populations

A Solution in Search of a Problem

The citizenship requirement is already the law. This amendment doesn’t protect voting rights—it opens the door to anti-voter strategies disguised as “security.”

I believe in protecting the sanctity of the vote. But I also believe in protecting the people from laws that use fear to justify exclusion. Democracy works when more voices are heard, not fewer.

Why My Vote Is No

I am voting No because:

1. It’s redundant — We already have legal safeguards in place.
2. It’s a Trojan horse — Once in the constitution, it can be used to justify policies that make it harder for eligible Texans to vote.
3. It distracts from real reforms — We should be working to expand access, modernize registration, and strengthen election security in ways that include, not exclude.

Texas doesn’t need symbolic amendments that stoke fear. We need practical solutions that uphold the right to vote for every eligible citizen. SJR 37 does nothing to move us in that direction, and risks moving us further backward in a state already facing some of the steepest barriers to the ballot box.