Iowans to vote on changes to the constitution about voter age, citizenship. What to know:

Iowans will decide this November if the legal voting age and language around citizenship should be changed in the state constitution.

The proposed changes are one of two constitutional amendments that Iowans will see on their Nov. 5 ballot. Another amendment, if passed, sets a plan if an Iowa governor dies, leaves or is removed from office.

In the past, some constitutional amendments in Iowa have been widely disputed, such as the 2022 vote to add the right “to keep and bear arms” in the state constitution.

Here’s what you need to know about the proposed amendment to the state’s voting age and citizenship language.

How does the voting age amendment affect Iowans?

The amendment proposes reducing the voting age from 21 to 18 years old to align with the language of the U.S. Constitution. It would replace Section 1 of Article II of the Iowa Constitution.

States are already required to follow the federal voting age law of 18 years old, which was established in the 26th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution in 1971. Todd Pettys, a University of Iowa law professor and constitutional law expert, said.

“As a practical matter, it’s not going to change anything,” Pettys said. “Since the federal Constitution says that in all the elections in this country the voting age is 18, Iowa never got the power to say otherwise.”

The measure also proposes changing the language at the beginning of the amendment from “Every citizen of the United States” to “Only a citizen of the United States.”

Why is Iowa considering a change now?

Sen. Jason Schultz, R-Schleswig, who leads the Committee on State Government that sponsored the amendment, said the language change will modernize the state constitution.

Voting by people who are not U.S. citizens, which is illegal according to U.S. law, has been a top concern among Republican lawmakers for the upcoming election. Data shows that voting by non-citizens is a rare occurrence.

"I don't think Iowans are in support of allowing illegal aliens to vote in our election, and I think they are excited about that opportunity to enshrine that in the constitution," Schultz said.

The amendment also clarifies in the Iowa Constitution that 17-year-olds who will be 18 years old by the next general election can vote in the primary election.

What does the constitutional amendment say?

The proposed amendment states: “Only a citizen of the United States of the age of eighteen years, who shall have been a resident of this state for such period of time as shall be provided by law and of the county in which the citizen claims the citizen's vote for such period of time as shall be provided by law, shall be entitled to vote at all elections which are authorized by law. However, for purposes of a primary election, a United States citizen must be at least eighteen years of age as of the next general election following the primary election. The required periods of residence shall not exceed six months in this state and sixty days in the county.”

How is the Iowa Constitution amended?

Voters have the last say on Nov. 5 if the state’s constitution will be altered, but the process to amend it starts years before.

A constitutional amendment must be approved by two consecutive two-year sessions of the Iowa Legislature before it is on the ballot.

The notice of the amendment must also be published in Iowa newspapers to inform voters about the legislature's actions.

“This publication requires a way of trying to make sure that voters know that the legislature has started down this amendment path, and if you don't like it, get up and vote and say so,” Pettys said.

After all of these procedures, the amendment goes on the ballot to be approved with an up-or-down vote that has to meet a simple majority.

Sabine Martin covers politics for the Register. She can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at (515) 284-8132. Follow her on X at @sabinefmartin.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Constitutional amendment on voter age, citizenship on Iowa ballot