The New York City Council voted 33-14 on Thursday to give local voting rights to some 800,000 non-citizens of voting age who are living in the city, about 11 percent of approximately seven million New Yorkers.
BREAKING: The just passed the historic legislation granting eligible lawful permanent residents in New York City the right to vote in municipal elections, paving the way to make New York City the largest city in the country to do so.
— NYC Council Speaker Corey Johnson (@NYCSpeakerCoJo)
Residents with green cards (residency cards) and work permits will be allowed to vote for the city’s mayor and city council members, as will those with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status, those known as “the Dreamers”.
All of the above must have lived in the city for at least 30 days in order to be eligible to vote.
Non-citizens in New York City will still be unable to vote in presidential, state and federal elections.
The main sponsor of the bill, City Council member Ydanis Rodriguez, said the new measure “will not dilute anyone’s vote.”
However, Staten Island Republican Joseph Borelli, another member of the City Council, was quoted by the New York Times as saying, “Someone who has lived here for 30 days will have a say in how we raise our taxes, our debt and long-term pension liabilities.”
Congress member Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) said she would join “local colleagues” in a lawsuit to challenge the new legislation.
The right to vote is a sacred right given only to Americans. The bill passed by the dilutes the voices of citizens & doesn’t reflect the views of our city. My local colleagues & I pledge to take the city to court & challenge this legislation.https://t.co/q3amvpgd47
— Office of Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (@RepMalliotakis)
Representative Lee Zeldin (R-NY) of Suffolk County, NY, likewise contended that the new bill is “not legal.”
The NYC Council just voted to allow 800k noncitizens to vote in local elections. One person, one vote is an American principle and right that belongs solely to US citizens. This is not legal and the courts need to shut this down ASAP!
— Lee Zeldin (@RepLeeZeldin)
Outgoing Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio said last month that he had “mixed feelings” about the bill. “This is something that, again, I’m not sure is legally what a city can do,” he said. “I think it’s something the State government needs to do.”
De Blasio has said he intends to run for the governor’s seat in the next election.