New York City Dems Pass Bill Allowing Non-Citizens To Vote
The bill that will let more than 800,000 residents who aren’t U.S. citizens vote in municipal elections.
The measure would let lawful permanent residents or those authorized to work in the U.S. to vote in city elections if they have lived in the five boroughs for 30 days or more and meet the other requirements for voting. It wouldn’t grant voting rights to immigrants who entered the country illegally.
About 10% of the city’s 8.4 million inhabitants have status as lawful permanent residents, mostly with green cards, according to an April report by the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs.
Despite saying he wouldn't veto the bill (before he leaves office in a month), even New York City’s Democrat Mayor Bill de Blasio has conceded that this is blatantly unconstitutional under New York law.
“In the end, I want to make sure that citizenship, which people work so hard to achieve, is valued and is given its full weight,” the mayor said in late November during an interview on NY1.
The bill that will let more than 800,000 residents who aren’t U.S. citizens vote in municipal elections.
The measure would let lawful permanent residents or those authorized to work in the U.S. to vote in city elections if they have lived in the five boroughs for 30 days or more and meet the other requirements for voting. It wouldn’t grant voting rights to immigrants who entered the country illegally.
About 10% of the city’s 8.4 million inhabitants have status as lawful permanent residents, mostly with green cards, according to an April report by the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs.
Despite saying he wouldn't veto the bill (before he leaves office in a month), even New York City’s Democrat Mayor Bill de Blasio has conceded that this is blatantly unconstitutional under New York law.
“In the end, I want to make sure that citizenship, which people work so hard to achieve, is valued and is given its full weight,” the mayor said in late November during an interview on NY1.
