EXCLUSIVE: Winning the Fight for Election Integrity State-by-State
Liberty Initiative Fund is working to lock in citizen-only voting in state constitutions.
Amidst mass immigration and weak voting laws, the Liberty Initiative Fund (LIF) is fighting effectively at the state level to ensure only U.S. citizens can vote in U.S. elections. Led by longtime ballot-initiative advocate Paul Jacob, LIF has successfully channeled resources into efforts to amend state constitutions to ban noncitizens from voting. Its latest effort in Michigan aims to demand proof of citizenship to register, photo identification to vote, and regular voter roll maintenance.
At the national level, Senate Republicans have failed to deliver the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act to President Donald Trump’s desk. This inaction makes LIF’s work more important than ever. By bypassing Congress—and even state legislatures—statewide ballot initiatives take the fight for election integrity straight to the people.
“The vast majority of Americans are frustrated with Washington’s inability to pass the SAVE Act or other reforms that are needed,” Jacob told Restoration News. “Thank goodness that in our system, so much of reform bubbles up from the states. So, often the best way to change Washington is to change your state.”
Building Momentum One Referendum at a Time
For 14 years, LIF’s approach has been straightforward and effective: empowering citizens to enact needed reforms without waiting for legislatures. The first ballot initiative the Fund successfully passed was getting Ferguson, Missouri police to wear body cameras after that city was engulfed in unrest in the wake of a 2014 police shooting. It has since expanded beyond police accountability to support term limits, protect private property, and promote transparency in government spending.
Jacob recounted that in 2018, LIF funded its first citizen-only voting amendment in North Dakota. It has since funded similar amendments in 14 states, including eight in 2024 alone. Texas was the most recent state to do so, last November. These amendments clarify in state constitutions what should never have been ambiguous—that only U.S. citizens may participate in elections.
“That’s over 40 million people that have voted on it,” he said. “Seventy-five percent in favor.”
This year, six states are voting on citizen-only voting measures: Alaska, Arkansas, Kansas, South Dakota, and West Virginia, with Arizona voting for a voter ID measure that includes citizen-only language.
“Hopefully, the seventh will be Michigan,” he said.
Why Michigan Is Different
This year, LIF has helped fund the Americans for Citizen Voting Committee (ACVC), which is backing an election integrity amendment to the Michigan Constitution.
This proposed amendment will:
- require citizen verification for voter registration,
- mandate a frequent review of the rolls,
- eliminate weak affidavit alternatives, and
- insist on a strong photo ID requirement to cast a ballot.
“The Michigan initiative is really important because it mirrors at least the main parts of the SAVE [America] Act,” Jacob said. “Most of these other amendments only make it clear in the law that citizens can vote—so no local noncitizen voting.”
What precipitated the other state amendments was the municipal trend to let noncitizen residents vote in local elections. Judges then struck down challenges to these local statutes because the state constitutions did not specify that only citizens could vote. This created the need to pass amendments to make that clear, but these previous amendments did not mandate verification.
“In Michigan, it also requires the Secretary of State to determine whether people already on the voting rolls are citizens,” Jacob said. “If we think they’re not, there’s a very reasonable process to let them prove they’re a citizen.”
Michigan organizers have submitted roughly 750,000 signatures—far exceeding the threshold of 446,198—demonstrating the public hunger for citizen voting protections. Polling consistently shows support for these measures well above 80 percent among the state’s voters.
The Board of State Canvassers will meet on Aug. 24 to determine whether the legitimate signatures meet the threshold and whether to approve the 100-word summary of purpose that will appear on the ballot.
Jacob remains confident but cautious. He said that he believes Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and other Democrats in the state’s government will do whatever they can to stop the initiative, adding that one liberal group is already suing over signature validity.
“We feel like we have the signatures, but we’re not taking anything for granted,” he added. “We believe we’ll be on the ballot.”
Why Citizenship Checks Are Non-Negotiable
Americans have watched as weak electoral systems have repeatedly allowed noncitizens onto voter rolls through loopholes like automatic registration and reliance on self-attestation. Even if the number of illegal votes remains small, the principle at stake is foundational.
“The other side thinks we shouldn’t pay attention to a problem until it wipes out an election,” Jacob said. “The SAVE Act isn’t going to go away because more and more people are realizing it’s wrong to have a system that allows noncitizens to vote.”
LIF’s steady investment in citizen-only voting amendments deserves recognition. But the Michigan initiative, with its baked-in enforcement mechanisms, opens a new chapter.
“In modern America, the truth is you’re better off going state by state when you have a problem,” Jacob added. “After this election, you’re going to see the majority of states in this country with very clear language that no noncitizens are allowed to vote.”
Restoration of America is fighting to pass the SAVE America Act. Contact your Senator today and demand action that will safeguard our elections.
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