Just when you thought New York City couldn’t get any more insane, Democrats have moved to allow nearly 1 million non-citizens to vote in local elections. This makes NYC the largest municipality in the country to allow non-citizens to vote if legislation is approved in December.
The legislation would allow the non-citizens to register with a political party and vote in city elections so long as they have a green card or have the right to legally work in America.
The New York Times reported, The measure is expected to be approved on Dec. 9 by a veto-proof margin. It would allow noncitizens to vote in local elections, and would not apply to federal or state contests. But the measure raises longstanding questions about who should be allowed to participate in the country’s democratic process.
These questions of course are; why should non-permanent citizens be allowed to vote and make possible permanent or long-lasting changes to the legal system? and what would incentivize anyone to seek legal citizenship if it is not a requirement to vote, work, or gain residency?
Advocates for the new rule assert that non-citizens should have a say because they pay taxes, reside in the city, and use the services it provides. All of these assertions are true though the non-citizen utilizes these things via a privilege granted for the work they provide as opposed to a citizen who uses them by right.
The situation is subject to intense debate, with intriguing points existing on both sides of the conversation. However many may claim that this could become a slippery slope to non-citizens being able to vote in national elections which would undoubtedly result in a political uproar.
