NYC adopts measure allowing noncitizens to vote for mayor

New York City on Thursday voted to allow noncitizens to vote in certain local elections, including for mayor, city council member Ydanis Rodriguez, who sponsored the bill, wrote on Twitter.

The city council approved the measure extending voting eligibility to New York City residents who are not U.S. citizens with a 33 to 14 vote, The Washington Post reported.

The measure could affect approximately 1 million adult noncitizens living in New York City, who will need to prove that they have lived in the city for 30 days or longer — the same time required for citizens — and that they have a work permit in order to register, according to the Post. U.S. citizenship will still be required for voting in state and federal elections. Additionally, undocumented immigrants will remain barred from voting in any election.

Rodriguez said the bill’s passage was historic.

#Breaking: The New York City Council becomes the largest city in the nation to enfranchise non-citizen immigrant New Yorkers.

We have made history today. Nearly 1 Million non-citizen immigrant New Yorkers will be allowed to participate in our City’s election! #Intro1867 pic.twitter.com/uxHVfbSH45

— Ydanis Rodriguez (@ydanis) December 9, 2021

“We have written a new chapter in our City’s history,” Rodriguez wrote in his tweet. “Nearly 1 Million non-citizen immigrant New Yorkers will be allowed to participate in our City’s election!” 

Other lawmakers expressed concern, including Mayor Bill de Blasio.