Noncitizen Kansas mayor accused of voter fraud has cast dozens of ballots since 2000, documents show

A Kansas mayor who is not a U.S. citizen, despite residing in the state for most of his life, has been accused of illegally voting "multiple times" — and documents obtained by Blaze News seem to support those allegations.

Last month, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach (R) held a press conference to announce that Coldwater Mayor Jose "Joe" Ceballos, 54, had been charged with three counts of voting without being qualified and three counts of election perjury, all felonies.

He could face more than five years behind bars if convicted. Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, added that a conviction would also prompt "removal proceedings" for Ceballos.

Ceballos appears to have cast a ballot at least once every year or every other year, beginning on August 1, 2000.

"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.

Voter registration applications and voting history records sent to Blaze News in response to a public records request seem to confirm Kobach's allegations.

The two voter registration applications for Ceballos, one dated April 1999 and the other December 2012, indicate he established Kansas residency all the way back in 1986.

Both documents asked the applicant to confirm U.S citizenship. "I Swear or Affirm that I am a citizen of the United States," the 1999 application states.

On the 2012 application, the "yes" box next to the question "are you a citizen of the United States of America?" is marked. The signature section then reiterates: "I swear or affirm that I am a citizen of the United States and a Kansas resident."

Ceballos appears to have signed the 1999 application as "Joe" Ceballos and the 2012 application as Jose. He did not register for a party on either application.

RELATED: Noncitizen Kansas mayor accused of illegally voting 'multiple times' after winning re-election

Screenshot of documents sent to Blaze News

Screenshot of documents sent to Blaze News

The criminal complaint filed November 5 stated that Ceballos is "not a citizen of the United States," and DHS noted that he received a green card in 1990 but remains a citizen of Mexico.

He was convicted of battery in 1995, according to DHS.

Moreover, Ceballos' voting history revealed that he participated in dozens of primary and general elections since 2000, the earliest records the Comanche County clerk claimed to have.

According to the records, Ceballos cast a ballot at least once every year or every other year, beginning on August 1, 2000. The records indicate Ceballos voted in November 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024.

It is unclear why a Republican Party affiliation was recorded for votes cast in the November 2004 and 2024 general elections.

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Screenshot of documents sent to Blaze News

Allegations that Ceballos had voted first made headlines after he won re-election as Coldwater mayor on November 4, and City Attorney Skip Herd claimed that Ceballos had applied for U.S. citizenship just this year.

"He applied for citizenship in February of this year and, through that, raised the issue of whether he was a legal citizen," Herd said.

Ceballos admitted to the Wichita Eagle that he did come to America as a child — the outlet described him as being "undocumented" at the time — and that he has since voted in every local, state, and federal election since 1991. However, he explained that he simply misunderstood the law, believing that the "permanent resident" designation on his green card meant that he was a citizen.

"I haven’t seen Mexico since I was four," he said. "I don’t speak Spanish anymore. If I get deported, it would wreck my life."

His attorney, Jess Hoeme, indicated that since Ceballos did not intend to vote illegally, "he’ll beat this" case with the jury.

Records from the Comanche County clerk's office revealed that Ceballos' voter registration was canceled on October 17, 2025. Those records further showed that he had been registered to vote in federal elections since at least February 2003, that he was at some point registered as a Republican, and that he filed a change of address in 2013.

Ceballos told the Eagle that he "probably" voted for Kobach to be state AG and for Donald Trump to be president every time they ran, even though in general, the twice-elected mayor is rather indifferent to politics.

"If politics comes up in Coldwater, I generally just get up and walk out," Ceballos said.

RELATED: Trump plans major shake-up of how Americans vote ahead of 2026 midterm elections

Screenshot of documents sent to Blaze News

Ceballos, who received nearly 83% of the vote from fellow Coldwater residents just a few weeks ago, enjoys continued support from his community.

"As a mayor, he’s done a wonderful job," said Britt Lenertz, president of the Coldwater City Council. "As a city councilmember, he’s done a wonderful job. He’s always put our community first in everything he does."

In an official statement, Lenertz acknowledged that the allegations were "concerning" but called for patience as the legal process unfolds: "We will allow the proper legal process to take its course before making any further comments. It’s important that we respect both due process and the integrity of our local government."

Longtime friend Ryan Swayze described Ceballos as good-hearted and well-intentioned but also a bit naive. Swayze and his dad as well as Ceballos' old special-education teacher all partially blame themselves for not explaining to Ceballos during his formative years the differences between permanent residents and U.S. citizens.

Ceballos did not respond to Blaze News' request for comment, but he did hint to the Wichita Eagle that the charges have greatly affected his well-being.

"I’m scared," he told the outlet. "I’m not sleeping."

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