Los Angeles Democrats Push for Groundbreaking Policy Allowing Foreign Nationals to Vote in City Elections

Democratic members of the Los Angeles City Council are contemplating a groundbreaking move to allow non-citizens, including undocumented immigrants, to participate in city elections.

Councilman Hugo Soto-Martinez (D) has introduced a proposal that would present voters with the opportunity in the upcoming November election to decide whether the Los Angeles City charter should be revised. This amendment would enable the council to consider permitting foreign nationals to vote in local elections.

“The proposal simply asks if we should amend the city charter to allow future discussions on this topic,” Soto-Martinez explained to the media.

Before reaching the ballot, the proposal must navigate through the council’s rule committee and then gain approval from the entire city council. Only with the council’s green light would it appear on the November ballot for voters to decide.

This initiative mirrors efforts by Democrats in New York City, who have pursued similar changes to include foreign nationals, including undocumented immigrants, in their local elections.

Last year, the State of New York Court of Appeals ruled that the plan is unconstitutional because the New York state constitution “makes clear what our case law has long held: Article II, section 1 restricts voting to citizens.”