Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach has charged a small-town mayor in southwest Kansas with multiple felony counts after authorities say he repeatedly voted despite not being a U.S. citizen.
The case announced Nov. 5 involves Jose Ceballos, a legal permanent resident originally from Mexico, who was reelected mayor of Coldwater just one day before the charges were filed, according to state officials.
Kobach's office filed six counts in Comanche County District Court — three counts of voting without being qualified and three counts of election perjury — for voting in the November 2022, November 2023 and August 2024 elections.
All are classified as nonperson felonies, meaning they do not involve direct physical harm. If convicted, Ceballos could face more than five years in prison.
Kobach said the case demonstrates that unlawful voting by noncitizens is not a theoretical issue.
"In Kansas, it is against the law to vote if you are not a U.S. citizen. We allege that Mr. Ceballos did it multiple times," Kobach said.
"Voting by noncitizens, including both legal and illegal aliens, is a very real problem. … Every time a noncitizen votes, it effectively cancels out a U.S. citizen's vote."
Federal immigration officials echoed Kobach's concerns and pointed to tools the Trump administration expanded to help states verify voter eligibility.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesman Matthew Tragesser said the situation was "absolutely unacceptable and, sadly, no surprise given the years of lax voting security in the United States."
He added that strengthening the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program has been a priority, so states can ensure "only U.S. citizens are on the voter rolls."
The Department of Homeland Security on Thursday also highlighted the SAVE database, calling it "a critical tool" for states seeking to ensure that "only Americans vote in American elections."
Ceballos, who first won the mayor's seat in 2021, is legally present in the United States but is not a U.S. citizen, Kobach said.
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