NEW YORK – A judge on Monday blocked New York City from allowing non-citizens to vote for mayor and other city officials, a move Republicans had challenged as unconstitutional.
In January, New York became the first major US city to grant widespread municipal voting rights to non-citizens, though none had yet cast a ballot.
The law, called “IEnter 1867“, passed by the Democratic-led City Council, allowed more than 800,000 non-citizens and Dreamers in New York City to vote in municipal elections next year. The law did not affect presidential, congressional or state elections. .
Supporters of the law said it gave an electoral voice to many people who have built a home in the city and pay taxes but face difficult paths to citizenship. New York Republican Party Chairman Nick Langworthy and several Republican elected officials said the law violates provisions of the state constitution and state election law that specifically confer voting rights to citizens.
ABOUT THE RULING IN THE STATEN ISLAND COURT
Staten Island Judge Ralph Porzio agreed with the GOP.
“New York City does not have the legal ability to enact inconsistent laws that allow non-citizens to vote and exceed the authority given to it by the New York State Constitution,” Porzio wrote.
The decision of the judge of the Court of Staten Island leaves the vote for non-citizens in municipal elections invalid.
Langworthy hailed the ruling as a “victory for citizens’ rights, electoral integrity and the rule of law.” She accused New York Democrats of abusing their leadership in city and state governments to “illegally rig the system while trampling on citizens’ rights.”
City attorneys are expected to give more details of the ruling on Monday afternoon.
Legally documented non-citizens of voting age make up nearly one in nine of New York City’s 7 million voting-age residents.
The law granted municipal voting rights to non-citizens who have been legal permanent residents of the city for at least 30 days, as well as those authorized to work in the US and “Dreamers” who were brought here when they were children and have temporary protection from deportation.
ABOUT THE “INTRO 1867” LAW
Call “Intro 1867The measure allows non-citizen permanent residents (most of whom are green card holders) and some work visa recipients to register with a political party and vote for mayor, council members, comptroller and other municipal government offices. .
In order to vote under the law, a person must have been a legal resident for at least 30 days to vote, and the right will not extend to elections for president, governor, Congress, or other state and federal offices.
Republicans warned they would sue to strike down the bill, under a section of the state Constitution that says “all citizens” have the right to vote.
Ydanis Rodríguez, who is originally from the Dominican Republic and was unable to vote until he became a citizen in 2000, said last year that council lawyers thoroughly vetted the bill before it was introduced and lashed out at Republicans who opposed it. to measure:
“This is the same group of people who have been supporters of Donald Trump, who have never been on the side of immigrants. They are the same people who would support legislation like those in the southern states, which limit voting rights,” Rodríguez said.
The Big Apple isn’t the first in the country to allow non-citizens to vote (only 11 cities in Maryland allow it), but it became by far the largest city with the distinction.
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