Just days after voters in Coldwater, Kansas celebrated the re‑election of their mayor, the mood in the small community shifted dramatically.

What had seemed like a routine local election — one in which Mayor Jose “Joe” Ceballos won a second term.

Suddenly became the center of statewide attention when the Kansas Attorney General’s Office filed criminal charges alleging he was ineligible to vote in the election he just won.

Rather than focusing solely on town business, residents now find themselves watching a high‑profile legal case with broader implications for election law and voter record verification in Kansas.

A Quiet Election in Coldwater — Until It Wasn’t

Coldwater, a city with a population of fewer than 700 people in Comanche County, typically draws attention only to local issues or annual municipal races.

On November 4, 2025, the mayoral election appeared to be another quiet civic event: Ceballos, who had served as mayor since 2021, ran unopposed and secured a fresh term in office with strong community support.

But just one day after the election, the Kansas Attorney General, Kris Kobach, made a startling announcement: his office had filed six felony charges against Ceballos in Comanche County District Court, alleging that he had voted illegally in multiple elections because he was not a U.S. citizen at the time he cast ballots.

The timing — a filing made immediately after votes were counted and the election was certified — raised immediate questions among local residents and observers about what triggered the review, and why the issue had surfaced only after the votes were cast.