Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach has filed felony charges against Coldwater mayor Jose Ceballos (also known as “Joe” Ceballos) for allegedly violating election laws. The complaint alleges that Ceballos, a lifelong resident of Kansas but not a U.S. citizen, violated the National Voter Registration Act (“Help America Vote”) and potentially other state-specific voting statutes.
According to documents obtained by Blaze News in response to a public records request, Jose Ceballos established residency in Kansas as far back as 1986. Crucially, both voter registration applications (one dated April 1999 and another December 2012) explicitly asked the applicant to confirm their U.S. citizenship status, stating “I Swear or Affirm that I am a citizen of the United States.” Ceballos signed both forms affirming his citizenship.
These allegations come after Ceballos won re-election as mayor on November 4th. City Attorney Skip Herd confirmed that the issue surfaced then, linking it to an application for U.S. citizenship made earlier this year by Ceballos.
Documents reveal Ceballos has participated in elections since August 2000, voting consistently in primary and general elections up until his registration was canceled on October 17th of this year. His attorney suggested the case might be mitigated because “he did not intend to vote illegally.”
Britt Lenertz, President of the Coldwater City Council, acknowledged the concerning allegations but called for patience during the legal process, emphasizing respect for due procedure and local government integrity.
Kris Kobach (R) announced these charges at a press conference.
