In a noteworthy development for election ethics, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach has charged Coldwater Mayor Jose “Joe” Ceballos with multiple felonies related to voting improperly. Ceballos, a Mexican citizen with a green card, faces three counts each of voting without qualification and election perjury for allegedly casting ballots in the 2022, 2023, and 2024 elections. This legal action comes just one day after Ceballos was elected unopposed as mayor on November 5, 2025.
While mayors in Kansas are not officially aligned with any political party, Ceballos has strong ties to progressive politics and is often linked with the Democratic Party. If he is found guilty, he could spend up to 68 months in prison and face a fine reaching $200,000. The inquiry into Ceballos began when City Attorney Skip Herd discovered irregularities in Ceballos’s application for citizenship in February, raising critical questions about the mayor’s legal status as a voter.
Kobach has made it clear that this case profoundly impacts public trust in the electoral system. He praised the Trump administration’s SAVE program, which allows for verification of citizenship status, stating, “In large part, our system right now is based on trust… In this case, we allege that Mr. Ceballos violated that trust.” This sentiment underscores a significant concern about the integrity of the electoral process, which relies heavily on the honesty of individuals registering to vote.
Coldwater City Attorney Skip Herd did not hold back in his condemnation of Ceballos’s alleged actions, revealing, “He’s been a registered voter since 1990. He applied for citizenship in February of this year, and through that, raised the issue of whether he was a legal citizen.” This raises serious implications about the mayor’s voting history and whether previous votes were legitimate.
Kobach further articulated the severity of noncitizen voting, noting, “Voting by noncitizens, including both legal and illegal aliens, is a very real problem. It happens.” His comments emphasize that instances of noncitizen voting are not isolated or rare. Instead, they can undermine the votes of U.S. citizens. Each illegal ballot cast effectively negates a legitimate vote, creating a system where American citizens could lose representation to those who lack legal voting rights.
Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab echoed Kobach’s warnings, stating, “We now have tools, thanks to the current White House, that we haven’t had in over 10 years… to find out if folks end up on our voter rolls.” Schwab’s remarks highlight the instrumental changes brought by the SAVE program, which he credits for facilitating the identification of potential voter fraud.
The implications of this case stretch beyond the charges against Ceballos. It serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities present in the electoral system. As Kobach stated, Kansas law explicitly prohibits noncitizens from voting, and the belief in citizens’ integrity during the election process is paramount to a functioning democracy. With increased emphasis on verification processes, the state aims to bolster the integrity of its elections, making it clear that any violation of these laws will prompt serious legal consequences.
This incident illustrates broader concerns regarding election security and the importance of citizenship in the voting process. As Ceballos faces these serious allegations, his case will likely draw attention to ongoing discussions about voter eligibility, verification, and the measures necessary to protect the electoral process. The charges reflect a determined effort by state officials to uphold the sanctity of elections and ensure that only qualified individuals participate in the democratic process.
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