Watershed moment in NYC: New law allows noncitizens to vote

[PTWB]

Link to Article

NEW YORK (AP) — More than 800,000 noncitizens and “Dreamers” in New York City will have access to the ballot box — and could vote in municipal elections as early as next year — after Mayor Eric Adams allowed legislation to automatically become law Sunday.

Opponents have vowed to challenge the new law, which the City Council approved a month ago. Unless a judge halts its implementation, New York City is the first major U.S. city to grant widespread municipal voting rights to noncitizens.

More than a dozen communities across the U.S. already allow noncitizens to cast ballots in local elections, including 11 towns in Maryland and two in Vermont.

Noncitizens still wouldn’t be able to vote for president or members of Congress in federal races, or in the state elections that pick the governor, judges and legislators.

Finally these folks living in the city and paying taxes in the city will have representation. This has been a long time coming.

[multigraincracker]

1. If not on the voter roll, one should not

be on the tax roll.

[gopiscrap]

3. agreed

[gulliver]

12. The taxes are on the labor (the product), not the person

Last edited Sun Jan 9, 2022, 04:55 PM - Edit history (1)

I have no problem with collecting income taxes from anyone who works in the country.

If you're here legally, say in the process of becoming a citizen or having your case for citizenship adjudicated, then I think you should be able to vote. If you're H-1B or here on a work visa, you should be able to vote. But I don't think someone who just overstays their tourist visa and decides to live here without trying to make it legal should be able to vote. They should still pay income tax though if they work.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

2. Works for me. Now do incarcerated people.

[gopiscrap]

4. totally agree

[duhneece]

5. Amen. They are our own. nt

[gulliver]

9. Disallowing voting by convicted felons and the incarcerated is terrible

Last edited Sun Jan 9, 2022, 04:56 PM - Edit history (1)

If you're a citizen, you should be able to vote. It's particularly bad to deny the vote to people who have paid their debt to society.

Right now, a state can create unjust laws, convict people of them, and prevent those people from voting. That works in favor of unjust laws. Part of the pool of people who would vote to see the laws repealed is deprived of their right to vote.

I'm thinking of the Drug War curse, of course.

[kirby]

11. Bingo n/t

[Qutzupalotl]

6. Get ready for RW outrage.

“Dems want to bring in illegals and let them vote!”

We can talk taxation-without-representation all we want, but the above is all people will hear.

[kirby]

7. Why?

Why should people who have not sworn an oath to our country via naturalization be given a vote?

[PTWB]

8. This applies to local elections, not state and federal elections.

In my opinion, anyone who pays taxes should have the right to vote even in state and national elections. No taxation without representation seems like a fair concept even after all these years.

[kirby]

10. More of an argument for immigration reform...

Imagine Putin sending 1,000 people to a district to swing an election?

Of course he already uses Facebook and that is cheaper.

[Klaralven]

13. Adds about 1/6 more voters to the rolls. Mostly Hispanic and Asian?