New York City Mayor Eric Adams enacted a measure Sunday that will allow more than 800,000 non-citizens in the city to vote in municipal elections.
The new law, which the city council passed a month ago, will grant voting rights any adult who has been a lawful permanent resident in the city for more than 30 days. If it survives a legal challenge, New York City will be the first to institute such a law. However, the law would disqualify eligible individuals from voting for president or members of Congress in federal races and state gubernatorial elections, among others.
A handful of localities across the United States, including eleven towns in Maryland and two in Vermont, permit non-citizens to participate in their elections.
“I believe that New Yorkers should have a say in their government, which is why I have and will continue to support this important legislation,” Adams said in a statement Saturday.
“While I initially had some concerns about one aspect of the bill, I had a productive dialogue with my colleagues in government that put those concerns at ease. I believe allowing the legislation to be enacted is by far the best choice, and look forward to bringing millions more into the democratic process,” he added.
Source: National Review
