Coldwater woke up to a nightmare. Just hours after voters re‑elected their small‑town mayor, Kansas’ attorney general accused him of never having the right to vote at all

The situation involving Coldwater Mayor Jose “Joe” Ceballos has sent shockwaves across Kansas, transforming a quiet community into the center of a fierce debate over election security. According to state authorities, Ceballos participated in elections — and even held office — for years despite allegedly not being a U.S. citizen, holding only permanent resident status. The controversy intensified when charges were brought just a day after he won re-election, in a state known for its strict citizenship-verification rules.

Local residents are now grappling with feelings of confusion, anger, and disbelief. City officials are struggling to maintain essential services while demanding clarification from both state and federal agencies about how a noncitizen could stay on voter lists since 1990. As legal experts clash over regulatory details and immigration records, a deeper concern looms over Coldwater: the community’s entire governance structure relies on trust — and once that trust is broken, it’s not only the mayor’s actions under scrutiny, but the stability of the town itself.