Soon, non-citizens may have the right to vote in local elections in Washington D.C. —a policy that was recently shot down in New York City. But anything goes in D.C.
According to The Daily Wire, the city council voted 12-1 on Tuesday to advance a bill that would allow non-citizen residents to vote in future local elections. The bill has one more vote before being sent to the desk of D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.
“Our immigrant neighbors of all statuses participate, contribute and care about our community in our city. They, like all DC residents, deserve a right to have a say in their government,” D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen said during the Tuesday legislative meeting, according to The Hill.
“They raise families here, contribute to their community. They run businesses that people depend on, and they pay taxes that we decide how to spend. Yet they have no ability to elect local leaders who make decisions about their bodies, their businesses and their tax dollars,” Allen added.
“The bill, if approved, would permit non-citizen residents in the District of Columbia to vote in local elections that include its mayor, attorney general, and school board members. The residency requirement was only 30 days for non-citizens, an important detail that led Councilmember Mary Cheh to oppose the bill,” DW reports.
A similar law was struck down by the New York State Supreme Court back in June.
“The New York State Constitution expressly states that citizens meeting the age and residency requirements are entitled to register and vote in elections,” Justice Ralph Porzio wrote in his ruling. “There is no statutory ability for the City of New York to issue inconsistent laws permitting noncitizens to vote and exceed the authority granted to it by the New York State Constitution.”
More over at The Daily Wire:
Washington, D.C. Advances Bill To Let Non-Citizens Vote https://t.co/KuujBoVbOk
— Daily Wire News (@DailyWireNews) October 5, 2022
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