CURRENT IMMIGRANT VOTING PRACTICES AND MOVEMENTS IN THE U.S
Thirteen jurisdictions currently allow noncitizens to vote in local elections:
- Eleven towns in Maryland : Takoma Park, Barnesville, Martin’s Additions, Somerset, Garrett Park, Chevy Chase, Chevy Chase Section Three, Hyattsville, Glen Echo and Mount Rainer. Most of these towns, which are in Montgomery and Prince Georges Counties, have allowed the foreign born to vote in local elections since the 1990s.
- San Francisco passed a ballot measure in 2016 that allows noncitizen parents to vote in School Board Elections, which occurred in 2018.
- Chicago in local school site elections (since 1988)
* NYC allowed noncitizens to vote in the Community School Board elections (1969-2002)The above jurisdictions provide voting rights to both the documented and undocumented.
Another dozen campaigns have been launched to create similar laws. Some campaigns would provide voting rights only to the documented, while other campaigns would extend voting rights to all noncitizens regardless of status. Some measures have been passed by a majority of the voters in a jurisdiction (ballot proposal) while other measures have been passed by elected representatives as local laws. Several other jurisdictions have also considered campaigns but have yet to launch them.
| Jurisdiction | Type of Law | Year | Coverage | Outcome(s) |
| NYC
a) schools; b) city elections; c) state elections |
Statue | a) 1969-2002
b) 2005; 2013; c) 2014 |
a) School Elections
b) Lawful residents c) All residents |
a) implemented
b) not enacted c) not enacted |
| Chicago | Local Statue | 1989 to date | Local school council elections | implemented |
| Maryland | 11 Local Statues | 1980s to 2018 | All residents | 10 towns implemented |
| SF | Ballot proposal | 2004
2010 2016 |
School Board Elections | 51-49% failed 2004
54-46% failed 2010 53-47% passed 2016 |
| Massachusetts | 4 Local Statues | 1990s, 2000s, 2016 | LPRs | Passed; need state action |
| Texas | State Statute | 1995 | LPRs | Not enacted |
| Connecticut | State Statute | 2003 | LPRs with property | Not enacted |
| Minnesota | State Statute | 2007 | LPRs | Not enacted |
| Washington D.C. | Local Statue | 1991; 2004; 2010; 2015 | LPRs | Not enacted |
| Portland ME | Ballot proposal | 2010 | LPRs | failed |
| Burlington, VT
Montpelier, VT |
Ballot proposal
Ballot proposal |
2015
2018 |
LPRs
LPRs |
Failed
Passed (needs state approval) |
New York City: Advocates formed the Coalition to Expand Voting Rights in 2004 and the NYC Council considered legislation to give residents legally residing in the U.S. voting rights in local elections in the mid 2000s. In 2013 a majority of City Council members supported the legislation but it was blocked by the speaker of the Council and opposed by then Mayor Bloomberg. Additional information can be found at the Coalition to Expand Voting Rights website, and the New York City Council website.
Washington D.C.: In 2015, legislation was re-introduced into the D.C. City Council by David Grasso, which would grant voting rights to legal permanent residents (LPRs) in local elections. This legislation is similar to legislation first introduced in 2004. Public Hearing and Press.
Massachusetts: Beginning in the 1990s, Amherst, Cambridge, Newton, and Brookline Massachusetts (2010) have passed home rule petitions that would allow resident immigrants who are not citizens to vote in their local elections, but these towns need state enabling legislation to implement their local laws. In 2014, Amherst again passed its home rule petition for immigrant voting rights. In 2015, Cambridge introduced and passed legislation to allow LPRs. Bill and Press. Boston considered a similar bill in 2008 (it lost in the Council by a vote of 8-7), and Boston again entertained consideration of a bill to restore NCV in 2018 (Press).
Vermont:
Burlington In 2014, the City Council of Burlington approved a measure that put a ballot measure for voters to consider, which would give Legal Permanent Residents (“green card holders”) the right to vote in local elections. The measure will need state enabling legislation to implement the law. The measure was defeated in March 2015 by 56% to 44%. For more information, see http://ivotevermont.org
Montpelier, Vermont put a proposal on the 2018 ballot, and voters approved the proposal by 2,857 to 1,488 that will allow noncitizens who are legal residents to vote in city elections. State action would be needed to implement such a local law or charter change. The Winooski City Council, by contrast, voted against putting a noncitizen voting proposition on the 2018 ballot.
Maine: In 2010, Voters in Portland Maine considered a ballot proposal that narrowly lost by a margin of 53% to 47% which would have granted voting rights in all municipal elections to legal permanent residents. More recently, in 2018, the mayor a city council member proposed reviving the campaign for immigrant voting in Portland. The Portland School Board voted to support the measure.
Puerto Rico: In 2015, the then Governor of Puerto Rico proposed allowing immigrants—all immigrants—to vote in elections. http://latinousa.org/2015/01/30/puerto-rico-all-can-vote/
Globally, at least 45 countries allow immigrant voting, at the local, regional and even national levels. (link to article).