Non-Citizens Voting? Some Municipalities Say Yes

What’s the story?

The City Council of College Park, Maryland is debating a proposal to allow non-citizens— green card holders, students with visas, and undocumented immigrants, to vote in elections for local officials, reports the New York Times.

Why does it matter?

If passed, the move would not be without precedent, currently and historically. Currently, ten municipalities in Maryland allow non-citizen voting in local elections. San Francisco also allows non-citizens to vote in school board elections if they have students enrolled in the system. Four municipalities in Massachusetts are waiting for state legislation that would permit their measures allowing non-citizen voting to go into effect.

Historically, forty states used to allow non-citizen voting, though none have allowed it since 1926. Per the Times:

"Under the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, noncitizens are barred from voting in national elections. However, states and municipalities can set their own policies, and state and federal courts have held that noncitizen voting laws are constitutional.”

In College Park, just over 20 percent of residents are foreign born, though that number includes both naturalized citizens and non-citizens. Supporters of the measure being debated, like Councilwoman Christine Nagle, argue that these individuals are members of the community and should be able to participate in decisions that affect their daily lives:

"The mayor and City Council are not deciding national policy. We make decisions about trash pickup, snow removal and equipment for the parks. I think we have shared concerns with our neighbors regardless of whether they are U.S. citizens. Our neighbors have children in school, work, pay property taxes and income taxes, and make their home in College Park just like we do. As residents of our community, I think, they also should be able to have a say in electing the city’s leadership."

Opponents of the measure, like Councilwoman Mary C. Cook, insist allowing non-citizens to vote cheapens the efforts of immigrants who have taken the long road to naturalization:

"The feedback that I’ve gotten from my residents in District 4 has been almost overwhelming against the proposed change in our charter… [they believe before voting people should] be in the country for a certain length of time so they can acquire a familiarity with the city, the country, the language, and pledge their allegiance to America."

What do you think?

Should non-citizens be able to vote in local elections? Why or why not? If you believe that non-citizens should be able to vote in local elections, what about state and federal elections? Does the same argument apply? Why or why not?

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(Photo Credit: Britt Neilson via Flickr / Creative Commons)