By\u00a0\u00a0SARA CLINEbUpdated 4:42 PM CDT, August 26, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) \u2014 Louisiana is the latest red state<\/a> to announce additional measures to ensure that non-U.S. citizens are not voting in elections, despite it already being illegal and there being no evidence of widespread voter fraud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Republican Gov. Jeff Landry signed an executive order Monday requiring all state government agencies that provide voter registration forms to include a written disclaimer that noncitizens are prohibited from registering to vote or voting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe right to vote in United States elections is a privilege that\u2019s reserved for American citizens,\u201d Landry said during Monday\u2019s press conference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The governor, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, was accompanied by Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill and Secretary of State Nancy Landry, who oversees elections in the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The press conference was similar to those happening across the country in other Republican-led states as GOP messaging, leading up to this year\u2019s presidential election, has focused on election integrity over the specter of immigrants voting illegally in the U.S.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On a national level, the U.S. House passed in July a proof-of-citizenship requirement<\/a> for voter registration, a proposal prioritized by Republicans. Democrats and voting rights activists opposed the bill, saying that preexisting legislation makes it a federal crime to vote as a noncitizen, and voicing concerns that eligible voters will be disenfranchised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n States have also announced new policies. Earlier this month, Alabama officials announced that more than 3,200 registered voters \u2014 who have previously been identified as noncitizens by the federal government \u2014 will have their registration status\u00a0changed to inactive.<\/a>\u00a0The list could include people who have become naturalized U.S. citizens and as such are legally eligible to vote. Those listed as inactive will have the opportunity to update their information, providing proof of citizenship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Similarly, Tennessee election officials in June asked more than 14,000 people to provide proof of citizenship to remain on active-voter rolls. They later walked back that request.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Nancy Landry said 48 noncitizens have been removed from Louisiana\u2019s voter rolls since 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTo be clear, I\u2019m confident in the policies and procedures that my office has in place to ensure the accuracy of our voter rolls and the integrity of our elections,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHowever, I will not let confidence turn into complacency,\u201d the Republican added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n