Report: New York City is looking to allow noncitizens to vote in local elections

Democrats in New York City appear to be trying to secure some extra votes in local elections.

The New York Times reports that Democrats on New York City’s city council are getting ready to vote in favor of allowing over 800,000 non-citizens to vote in local elections. 

The legislation

The bill that the city council will vote on is being called “Our City, Our Vote.” The legislation was first introduced two years ago, but it has been in the works for a good decade.

“Our City, Our Vote” seeks to give local voting rights to various noncitizen groups, including green card holders, visa holders, and work permit holders. All that is required of these individuals is that have resided in New York City for a period of at least 30 consecutive days.

Breitbart reports: “If the legislation is approved, roughly 130,000 nationals from the Dominican Republic and about 120,000 Chinese nationals would be among the nearly one million non-citizens who would secure voting rights.”

According to the New York Times, this legislation would make New York City the largest municipality in the United States to allow noncitizens to vote in municipal elections.

There’s no stopping it

The New York Times’s report makes it seem as though the legislation is going to be passed and there is nothing anyone can do to prevent this.

The outlet reports that the legislation is “expected to be approved by the City Council on Dec. 9 by a veto-proof margin.”

New York City’s city council is comprised of 51 members. And, 34 Democrats are expected to vote in favor of the legislation. On top of this, New York City mayor-elect Eric Adams (D) also supports the legislation.

One of the legislation’s sponsors, Ydanis Rodriguez, who represents Washington Heights in Upper Manhatten, explained her support for the bill, saying:

It’s important for the Democratic Party to look at New York City and see that when voting rights are being attacked, we are expanding voter participation.

And, indeed, those supporting the bill are framing it as a response to recent laws passed in some states, such as Florida, that make it clear that only United States citizens have the right to vote.

New York City Democrats are expecting the law, once passed, to be legally challenged.

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