As Trump pushes voting restrictions, states have a rarely used option to push back

By: Jonathan Shorman

Outlets: Stateline

Published: February 20, 2026

Words: 2,185

Last Updated: 1 week ago

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OTTAWA, Kan. — When Kansas began requiring residents to prove their U.S. citizenship before voting more than a decade ago, Steven Wayne Fish tried and failed.

A first-time father in his 30s at the time, he wanted a say in debates over public school funding despite having never voted before. But Fish, who was born on a since-decommissioned Air Force base in Illinois, couldn’t find his birth certificate, leaving him unable to register for the …

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