At the beginning of the year, New York Democrats gave illegal immigrants and other non-citizens the right to vote. This law has now been struck down by New York’s Supreme Court.
Fox News reported, The law, passed in December 2021 by the New York City Council, created a class of voters called “municipal voters,” comprised of non-citizens who reside in the city for at least 30 days before an election and register or re-register to vote. Under the law, municipal voters were granted the right to participate in elections for mayor, public advocate, comptroller, borough president, and council member.
Under this law, non-citizens and green card holders alike were able to vote in local NYC elections, but not federal and state races.
This is obviously an attempt to gain more Democrat voting power and undeniably diluted the purpose of becoming a legal citizen in the first place.
New York’s Constitution under Article 2 Section 1 specifically affords the right to vote to any citizen over the age of 18 years.
“Every citizen shall be entitled to vote at every election for all officers elected by the people and upon all questions submitted to the vote of the people provided that such citizen is eighteen years of age or over and shall have been a resident of this state, and of the county, city, or village for 30 days next preceding an election,” it states.
Even Mayor Bill De Blasio has expressed concerns about such a bill. Historically De Blasio has been quick to lend his support to anything being passed by Democrats. Eric Adams also declined to sign or veto the bill. This caused it to automatically become the law of the land.
“The New York State Constitution explicitly lays the foundation for ascertaining that only proper citizens retain the right to voter privileges,” said Ralph Porzio, a Richmond County Supreme Court Justice.
Porzio cited New York State law 5-102(1) which very clearly says “No person shall be qualified to register for and vote at any election unless he is a citizen of the United States.” He also found the city law to be in violation of the Municipal Home Rule Law, which states that local governments can adopt their own laws so far as they are “not inconsistent with” the state constitution or other laws “relating to its property, affairs of government.”