A considerable mobilization of people came to the mayor’s yard to support an initiative that could significantly change local elections in New York.
Alana Cantillo, Vice President of Campaigns for the NY Immigration Coalition: “We expect a lot of support, a lot of testimony in favor of this legislation and the power of the community, the power of the people.”
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This bill would open the right to vote in municipal elections to immigrants who are not naturalized. This includes permanent residents or those who have a work permit.
The new law would give them the opportunity to elect the next New York mayor or district councilor. However, it would not give them the ability to vote in national elections.
One million residents would benefit from the measure. Saraí Rodríguez is a legal resident and street vendor. You want to decide what happens in your district.
Saraí Rodríguez, who makes a living as a street vendor, shared her opinion: “Many times we are not in favor of what they say and we have neither voice nor vote to do so.”
According to activists and politicians, they have a guaranteed majority of votes for this to become law.
A few steps away from the demonstration, the Council met in a virtual audience to hear testimonies from organizations and politicians on the need to expand the right to vote.
The Electoral Board pointed out that there is a recent precedent: the elections of the school boards where non-citizen residents participated; but that law was abolished in 2002. If passed, additional funds would be needed and voters would have to disclose their immigration status.
The councilor and sponsor of the bill, Ydanis Rodríguez, says that the City Council will be in charge of raising the funds and assured that it will work together with the electoral board to ensure that eligible immigrants can vote.
“Today is the opportunity for our generation to give a voice to that million people like me who have green card”, Rodríguez explained.
Mayor de Blasio has said that he does not believe the measure is legal and prefers that people be nationalized so they can vote. Some councilors believe they have enough votes to pass it.
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