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Coldwater Mayor Faces Six Criminal Charges for Illegal Voting

11/9/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Jose “Joe” Ceballos, the reelected mayor of Coldwater, Kansas, faces six criminal counts for allegedly voting illegally as a Mexican citizen since 2022.
Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach filed the charges, claiming Ceballos voted multiple times despite being ineligible.
Ceballos won 83% of the vote, but the election results are not yet certified, leaving his eligibility uncertain.
The Coldwater City Council will continue operations during the legal proceedings.
If convicted, Ceballos could face over five years in prison and fines up to $200,000, with his first court appearance scheduled for December 3.

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Story summary

Jose “Joe” Ceballos, the reelected mayor of Coldwater, Kansas, faces six criminal counts for allegedly voting illegally as a Mexican citizen since 2022.
Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach filed the charges, claiming Ceballos voted multiple times despite being ineligible.
Ceballos won 83% of the vote, but the election results are not yet certified, leaving his eligibility uncertain.
The Coldwater City Council will continue operations during the legal proceedings.
If convicted, Ceballos could face over five years in prison and fines up to $200,000, with his first court appearance scheduled for December 3.