A twice-elected Republican mayor of a Kansas town is facing deportation for voter fraud. Jose “Joe” Ceballos has been the mayor of Coldwater, Kansas, since he was first elected in 2021. He was reelected on Nov.

Joe Ceballos, a Kansas man who made national news after being charged with voting illegally, resigned his position as mayor of Coldwater.

Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, shown on Oct. 1, 2025, has charged the mayor of Coldwater with felony voter fraud. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) Coldwater residents have learned a valuable lesson: Actions have consequences.

In his first interview since being accused of voting illegally by Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, Coldwater mayor Joe Ceballos, a self-described loyal Republican voter, contends he thought he could vote as a legal permanent resident.

The winner of the Democratic primary will likely face a Republican nominee with high name recognition and powerful financial backing.