Help us improve in just 2 minutes—share your thoughts in our reader survey.

Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search



Election Policy VNT Logo.png
Election Information
2025 election and voting dates
Voter registration
Early voting
Absentee/mail-in voting
All-mail voting
Voter ID laws
State poll opening and closing times
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker
Select a state from the menu below to learn more about its election administration.

This article covers noncitizen voting in the United States. It includes background information about the issue, language from federal law and state constitutions, details about the municipalities that allow noncitizen voting, and a list of states where it is prohibited.

According to the Pew Research Center, there were over 25 million people living in the U.S. in 2020 who were not U.S. citizens. This included approximately 12 million permanent residents living in the U.S. with legal permission, as well as 2 million temporary residents visiting the U.S. for a period of time as students, tourists, foreign workers, foreign officials, etc. Pew's figure also includes approximately 11 million immigrants living in the U.S. illegally.[1][2]

In 1996, the U.S. Congress passed a law prohibiting noncitizens from voting in federal elections, including elections for the U.S. House, U.S. Senate, and presidential elections. This law does not apply to elections for state and local offices.[3] Click here to learn more about recent legal challenges involving noncitizen voting.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • As of August 2025, no state constitutions explicitly allowed noncitizens to vote in state or local elections.
  • Seventeen states explicitly prohibited noncitizen voting in state and local elections.
  • The District of Columbia and municipalities in three states allowed noncitizens to vote in local elections.
  • Eight states approved ballot measures prohibiting noncitizen voting in 2024.


    • Click a topic below to learn more:

    Noncitizen voting in the United States

    The map below indicates which U.S. states allow or prohibit noncitizen voting in elections for state or local offices. It also indicates which states have approved ballot measures related to noncitizen voting.

    Details about noncitizen voting in local elections

    As of August 2025, the District of Columbia and certain municipalities in California, Maryland, and Vermont allowed noncitizens to vote in some or all local elections. Details about each municipality are listed below. Know of a municipality we're missing? Email us.

    California

    • Oakland: In 2022, voters in Oakland approved a charter amendment that read, "Shall the measure to amend the City Charter to allow the City Council by adopting an ordinance, to authorize voting by noncitizen residents, who are the parents, legal guardians, or legally recognized caregivers of a child, for the Office of Oakland School Board Director if they are otherwise eligible to vote under state and local law be adopted?" The amendment was approved with 67% support. Click here to learn more. As of August 2025, the law had not been implemented.
    • San Francisco: In 2016, voters in San Francisco passed a charter amendment called Proposition N with 54% support. The amendment read, "Shall the City allow a non-citizen resident of San Francisco who is of legal voting age and the parent, legal guardian or legally recognized caregiver of a child living in the San Francisco Unified School District to vote for members of the Board of Education?" The law took effect in 2018. San Francisco Superior Court Judge Richard B. Ulmer, Jr. struck down Proposition N in July 2022, stating that the law violated the state Constitution. Ulmer ruled that "the [California] Constitution ... reserves the right to vote to a United States citizen, contrary to (the) San Francisco ordinance."[4] To read the full ruling, click here. A California Court of Appeal overturned Ulmer's ruling a few months later, arguing that Prop N was in fact permissible under the state constitution and the City Charter. According to the city of San Francisco's website, "On August 8, 2023, a California Court of Appeal upheld San Francisco’s non-citizen voting program. The decision permits non-citizen parents of children residing in San Francisco to continue to vote in San Francisco Board of Education Elections."[5]

    District of Columbia

    The District of Columbia Council passed the D.C. Noncitizen Vote Act in October 2022, allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections. Due to the District's non-state status, all of its legislation must be reviewed by Congress prior to adoption. The D.C. Noncitizen Vote Act overcame bipartisan opposition in the U.S. House of Representatives and passed its congressional review in March 2023.[6]

    Advocates of the law argued that noncitizens have an interest in schools, public safety and other issues, and should therefore be allowed to weigh in on public policy decisions. Opponents argued that noncitizens do not have a fundamental right to vote or hold public office in the U.S. and that the legislation dilutes the voting power of U.S. citizens.[7]

    In March 2023, a group of seven D.C. voters filed a lawsuit in D.C. Superior Court seeking an injunction to prevent the law from being enforced. The case was moved to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.[6][7]

    On March 20, 2024 the court dismissed the challenge. In its opinion, the court held that the plaintiffs' "votes will not receive less weight or be treated differently than noncitizens’ votes; they are not losing representation in any legislative body; nor have citizens as a group been discriminatorily gerrymandered, ‘packed,’ or ‘cracked’ to divide, concentrate, or devalue their votes."[8]

    Maryland

    Maryland's state constitution specifies that "every citizen of the United States, of the age of 18 years or upwards, who is a resident of the State as of the time for the closing of registration next preceding the election, shall be entitled to vote in the ward or election district in which the citizen resides at all elections to be held in this State."[9] The state constitution gives municipalities the authority to allow people outside those qualifications to vote without requiring state approval of such changes.[10]

    The following Maryland municipalities allow noncitizens to vote in local elections as of August 2025:

    • Barnesville: The Barnesville town charter defines qualified voters as "having resided therein for six months previous to any town election and being eighteen years of age."[11]
    • Brentwood: The Brentwood town charter says "Every person shall be a qualified voter who (a) is a citizen of the United States or, if not a citizen, is a lawful resident as defined by US Citizen and Immigration Services to reside in the United States ... (c) is a resident of the Town of Brentwood, (d) has resided within the corporate limits of the town for one year ... ."[12]
    • Cheverly: Any person over the age of 18 who has been a resident of Cheverly for at least 30 days at the time of the election and has not been convicted of a crime is eligible to register to vote in town elections.[13]
    • Chevy Chase Section 3: The charter of Chevy Chase Section 3 reads, "'Qualified Voter' shall mean any person who is a resident of Chevy Chase Section 3, without regard to citizenship, and is at least eighteen (18) years of age."[14]
    • Colmar Manor: Any person who will be over the age of 18 at the next town election and "who does not claim voting residence or claim the right to vote in another jurisdiction, and who has established and maintained a residence in the town for a period of 182 continuous days" may register to vote and sign town nominating and referenda petitions.[15]
    • Edmonston: In November 2024, the Edmonston town council voted 2-1 with one abstention to approve noncitizen voting in town elections. As of December 2024, the town had not published the text of the new ordinance on its website.[16][17]
    • Frederick: Frederick's city charter says, "an individual may become registered to vote if the individual (a) is a resident of the City as of the day the individual seeks to register, (b) Does not claim voting residence or the right to vote in another jurisdiction; and (c) Is at least 18 years old or will be at least 18 years old on or before the day of the City's next general election."[18]
    • Garrett Park: The Garrett Park town charter says: "The town manager shall provide for the registration of voters in a flexible and available manner in order to encourage registration and voting, consistent with the policies adopted by ordinance and the rules and procedures specified by the election judges. Qualified persons may register by universal registration with either Montgomery County or the town, or may register only with the town, including residents who are not citizens of the United States, up to and including election day."[19]
    • Glen Echo: Glen Echo's town charter says the following: "Any person who is not a United States citizen, and (a) is a resident of the Town of Glen Echo, (b) is a lawful resident of the United States, and (c) except for the United States citizenship requirement, meets the voter qualifications provided in Section 501(a) may register to vote in Town elections."[20]
    • Greenbelt: In September 2024, the Greenbelt city council voted 6-0 to approve noncitizen voting in town elections. As of December 2024, the city had not published the text of the new ordinance on its website.[21][22]
    • Hyattsville: The Hyattsville town website states, "Hyattsville residents who are not U.S. citizens, or do not wish to register with the State, may use the Hyattsville City Voter Registration Form."[23]
    • Martin’s Additions: The Martin's Additions town charter says, "'Qualified Voter' is any person who owns property or any resident of Martin's Additions who is eighteen (18) years of age or over."[24]
    • Mount Rainier: Mount Rainier's city charter states that any person who has been a city resident for 30 days or more at the time of a local election, is at least 18 years old, has not been convicted of a felony offense or of buying and selling votes, and is not under mental guardianship may register to vote.[25]
    • Riverdale Park: Riverdale Park's town charter states, "(a) Every resident of the town who (1) has the Town of Riverdale Park as his or her primary residence, (2) is at least sixteen (16) years of age, (3) has resided within the corporate limits of the town for at least forty-five (45) days immediately preceding any nonrunoff town election, (4) does not claim the right to vote elsewhere in the United States, (5) has not been found by a court to be unable to communicate a desire to vote, and (6) is registered to vote in accordance with the provisions of § 503 of this charter shall be a qualified voter of the Town."[26]
    • Somerset: The Somerset town charter says, "Every person who (1) is at least sixteen (16) years of age, (2) has resided within the corporate limits of the town for fourteen (14) days next preceding any election, and (3) is registered in accordance with the provisions of this Charter, shall be a qualified voter of the town."[27]
    • Takoma Park: The Takoma Park city website states, "City residents who are not citizens of the United States can register to vote in Takoma Park elections by completing the Takoma Park Voter Registration Application."[28]

    Vermont

    The following Vermont municipalities allow noncitizens to vote in local elections as of August 2025:

    • Burlington: On March 9, 2023, the city of Burlington approved a charter amendment extending the right to vote to its noncitizen residents. Although Governor Phil Scott vetoed the legislation, both chambers of the state legislature voted to override that veto on June 30. The law took immediate effect.[29][30]
    • Montpelier: On June 24, 2021, H177 was enacted into law, approving a Montpelier city charter amendment authorizing legal residents to vote in city elections. Although Governor Phil Scott (R) vetoed the legislation, both chambers of the state legislature voted to override that veto. The law took immediate effect.[29][31]
    • Winooski: On June 24, 2021, H 227 was enacted into law, approving a Winooski city charter amendment authorizing legal residents to vote in city and school district elections. Although Governor Phil Scott vetoed the legislation, both chambers of the state legislature voted to override that veto. The law took immediate effect.[29][32]

    States where noncitizen voting is prohibited

    As of August 2025, the following 17 states included language explicitly prohibiting noncitizen voting in their state constitutions.[33]

    Background

    According to political scientist Ron Hayduk of San Francisco State University, certain noncitizens were permitted to vote in federal, state, and local elections in 33 states between 1776 and 1924. He argued that granting the right to vote to noncitizens was a common incentive among U.S. territories and new states to attract workers and families to work and populate the lands.[34][35]

    Hayduk also argued that immigration can lead to anti-immigrant sentiment and restricted voting rights:

    “ Contrary to the dominant narrative about a consistent expansion of democracy and political participation in the United States, the history of immigrant suffrage provides a more accurate lens to expose a recurring pattern that runs throughout the history of American voting rights: one step forward and two steps back. An influx of newer immigrants at a point in time sparks a wave of nationalism and nativism—often associated with war or political conflict—and a rollback of voting rights.[34][36] ”


    States began changing their constitutions to prevent noncitizen voting in the late Nineteenth and early Twentieth Century. Michigan (1894), Alabama (1901), Colorado (1902), Wisconsin (1908), Oregon (1914), Kansas (1918), Nebraska (1918), South Dakota (1918), Indiana (1921), Texas (1921), Mississippi (1924), Missouri (1924), and Arkansas (1926) all banned noncitizen voting in just over three decades. By 1931, noncitizen voting had become so rare that political scientist Leon Aylsworth noted, "For the first time in over a hundred years, a national election was held in 1928 in which no alien in any state had the right to cast a vote for a candidate for any office – national, state, or local."[34]

    Decades later in 1996, the U.S. Congress passed a federal immigration enforcement bill called the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRAIRA). Section 611 of IIRAIRA criminalized noncitizen voting in federal elections, but the law did not explicitly prohibit noncitizens from voting in state or local elections in accordance with state constitutions and local ordinances.[35]

    When the IIRIRA took effect on April 1, 1997, Former President Bill Clinton said that the legislation strengthened "the rule of law by cracking down on illegal immigration at the border, in the workplace, and in the criminal justice system — without punishing those living in the United States legally."[35] However, critics of the IIRIRA said that it "eliminate[ed] due process from the overwhelming majority of removal cases and curtailing equitable relief from removal."[35]

    According to Policy and Advocacy Manager Arturo Castellanos Canales of the National Immigration Forum, the City of Takoma Park, Maryland, became the first municipality in the country to restore noncitizen voting in local elections in 1992. "From a legal standpoint, Takoma Park argued that Maryland’s constitution expressly delegates municipalities the power to determine suffrage qualifications for municipal elections in their city charters. In addition, from a practical perspective, Takoma Park argued that citizenship was an irrelevant suffrage qualification when voting for local officials because they deal with local responsibilities, such as parks and recreation, arts programs, public transportation, garbage collection, water, and sewage."[35]

    Voters in San Francisco passed a charter amendment called Proposition N in 2016, giving noncitizens the right to vote in the city's school board elections. An official statement of support for the measure said, "All parents, regardless of citizenship, will have the opportunity to become an integral part of their child’s education through the voting process. It is estimated that at least 1 out of 3 children in SF public schools has an immigrant parent. Tens of thousands of SF residents would become eligible to vote in School Board elections."[37]

    An official statement opposing Proposition N said, "Like a bad penny, this illegal proposal in violation of the California Elections Code has already been twice defeated by increasing majorities of San Francisco electors – but keeps coming back!!!: It was defeated in 2004 and 2010 ... Needless to say, American citizens living abroad are not allowed to take part in foreign nations’ board of education or other elections."[37]

    After Takoma Park and San Francisco, other municipalities allowed noncitizens to vote in their local elections: New York (2021), Montpelier (2021), Winooski (2021), Oakland (2022), Washington, D.C. (2022), Burlington (2023). Opponents of these policies filed lawsuits at both the state and federal levels to stop noncitizens from voting, arguing that their participation diminished the voting power of legal citizens. This litigation had mixed results. New York's noncitizen voting law was overturned in 2022. San Francisco's law was upheld on appeal in 2023.

    In 2018, North Dakota became the first of several states to ban noncitizen voting by changing their constitutions. North Dakotans for Citizen Voting, the group that sponsored Measure 2, supported the ballot measure in posts on its website:[38]

    “ Currently the constitution doesn't state that only U.S. citizens can vote - it says that U.S. citizens are eligible to vote. This measure clarifies it. There have been a few cases around the state where county auditors sought clarification ... Voting is the fundamental and exclusive right of U.S. citizens. We welcome many people who choose to live temporarily or even permanently in North Dakota, or elsewhere in the United States. But if they want to vote in our elections, they should make the decision to become a U.S. citizen and go through that process. This initiative doesn’t deal with immigration or the problem of voter fraud. Our goal is simple and straightforward: make voting the exclusive right of U.S. citizens. People who support voting as the basic, fundamental right of U.S. citizens will support this ballot measure, and those who want non-citizens to vote will oppose it.[39][36] ”


    Opponents of Measure 2, including Steven Morrison, a law professor at the University of North Dakota, stated that the measure was unnecessary, “Practically speaking, I don’t see how this would change anything. The question is do you have non-residents, non-citizens voting now?”[40]

    After North Dakota, other states passed bans on noncitizen voting, including Alabama (2020), Colorado (2022), Arizona (2022), Florida (2022), Louisiana (2023), and Ohio (2023). Voters in eight states approved similar ballot measures in 2024: Iowa, Idaho, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Wisconsin.

    Federal law on voting and citizenship

    Federal law states that it is unlawful for a noncitizen to vote in federal elections and establishes the punishment of a fine, one year in prison, or both for violation of the law. The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 states the following:

    “

    (a) It shall be unlawful for any alien to vote in any election held solely or in part for the purpose of electing a candidate for the office of President, Vice President, Presidential elector, Member of the Senate, Member of the House of Representatives, Delegate from the District of Columbia, or Resident Commissioner, unless—

    (1) the election is held partly for some other purpose;
    (2) aliens are authorized to vote for such other purpose under a State constitution or statute or a local ordinance; and
    (3) voting for such other purpose is conducted independently of voting for a candidate for such Federal offices, in such a manner that an alien has the opportunity to vote for such other purpose, but not an opportunity to vote for a candidate for any one or more of such Federal offices.

    (b) Any person who violates this section shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than one year, or both.[36]

    		”

    The law includes the following exceptions:

    “

    (c) Subsection (a) does not apply to an alien if—

    (1) each natural parent of the alien (or, in the case of an adopted alien, each adoptive parent of the alien) is or was a citizen (whether by birth or naturalization);
    (2) the alien permanently resided in the United States prior to attaining the age of 16; and
    (3) the alien reasonably believed at the time of voting in violation of such subsection that he or she was a citizen of the United States.[3][36]
    		 ”

    Federal law also states that noncitizens who violate the law are inadmissible (ineligible to receive visas and ineligible to be admitted to the U.S.) and deportable.[41][42]

    State constitutions on voting and citizenship

    All state constitutions mention United States citizenship when discussing who can vote in that state's elections. In 33 states, constitutional language discussing citizenship says who can vote (e.g. "every citizen" or "all citizens"), but does not state that noncitizens cannot vote. In 17 states—Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming—their constitutions allow citizens, but not noncitizens, the right to vote.

    The following table lists what each state's constitution says regarding citizenship and the right to vote. Click the arrow to browse pages in the chart or search for a state within the chart.

    States with no impediments to noncitizen voting in local elections

    Joshua A. Douglas, associate professor of law at the University of Kentucky College of Law, published an article in 2017 stating, "Municipalities can expand voting rights in local elections if there are no explicit state constitutional or legislative impediments and so long as local jurisdictions have the power of home rule." Some states, for example, require that changes to local charters get approval from state legislatures, thereby limiting municipal authority over voter eligibility laws, whereas other states do not.[43]

    Douglas identified 14 states—including California and Maryland—as posing no clear impediments to municipalities passing their own voter qualification laws. Since publication of the 2017 article, two states which Douglas identified as having no clear impediments to noncitizen voting have passed constitutional amendments clarifying that only U.S. citizens may vote in elections in those states. The remaining 12 states identified by Douglas are:

    • Arkansas
    • California
    • Illinois
    • Maryland
    • Nevada
    • New Jersey
    • New Mexico
    • Oklahoma
    • Rhode Island
    • South Dakota
    • Washington
    • Wisconsin[44]


    Ballot measures on noncitizen voting

    From 2018 to 2024, voters decided on 14 ballot measures related to adding language about citizenship requirements for voting. Voters approved all 14 measures.

    StateYearBallot MeasureTypeStatus
    North Dakota2018North Dakota Measure 2Initiated constitutional amendmentApproved
    Alabama2020Alabama Amendment 1Legislatively referred constitutional amendmentApproved
    Florida2020Florida Amendment 1Initiated constitutional amendmentApproved
    Colorado2020Colorado Amendment 76Initiated constitutional amendmentApproved
    Ohio2022Ohio Issue 2Legislatively referred constitutional amendmentApproved
    Louisiana2022Louisiana Amendment 1Legislatively referred constitutional amendmentApproved
    Iowa2024Iowa Amendment 1Legislatively referred constitutional amendmentApproved
    Wisconsin2024Wisconsin Citizenship Voting Requirement AmendmentLegislatively referred constitutional amendmentApproved
    Kentucky2024Kentucky Constitutional Amendment 1Legislatively referred constitutional amendmentApproved
    Idaho2024Idaho HJR 5Legislatively referred constitutional amendmentApproved
    South Carolina2024South Carolina Citizenship Requirement for Voting AmendmentLegislatively referred constitutional amendmentApproved
    Missouri2024Missouri Amendment 7Legislatively referred constitutional amendmentApproved
    Oklahoma2024Oklahoma State Question 834Legislatively referred constitutional amendmentApproved
    North Carolina2024North Carolina Citizenship Requirement for Voting AmendmentLegislatively referred constitutional amendmentApproved
    South Dakota2026South Dakota Constitutional Amendment JLegislatively referred constitutional amendmentOn the ballot
    Kansas2026Kansas Citizenship Voting Requirement AmendmentLegislatively referred constitutional amendmentOn the ballot
    Arkansas2026Arkansas Citizenship Requirement for Voting AmendmentLegislatively referred constitutional amendmentOn the ballot
    Texas2025Texas Proposition 16Legislatively referred constitutional amendmentOn the ballot


    Partisanship of legislative votes on referred measures

    In 16 states that placed constitutional amendments on the ballot to require citizenship to vote in state and local elections, Republican legislators supported the amendments, averaging 99.7%. In all but one state—South Dakota (2026)—every Republican legislator voted in favor; in South Dakota, 95.3% supported the amendment. Democratic support varied between states, averaging 43.1% and ranging from 0% in Missouri, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin to 100% in Alabama (2020) and Iowa (2024).


    Partisan Support Diverging Bar Chart

    Democratic support is shown to the left, Republican to the right. Data from 2020–2025.

    Noteworthy events

    Noncitizen voting declared unconstitutional in New York (2022-2025)

    On December 9, 2021, the New York City Council approved Int. 1867-2020, which became Local Law 11, and extended the right to vote in municipal elections to lawful permanent residents and other non-citizens authorized to work in the United States. The council voted 33-14 in favor of the legislation, making New York City the largest city in the nation at the time to authorize voting by non-citizens.[45]

    Mayor Eric Adams (D) allowed the legislation to become law without his signature on January 9, 2022, saying, “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. ... I look forward to bringing millions more into the democratic process."[46][47]

    The next day, a group of Republican voters and officials representing the New York Republican State Committee and Republican National Committee, as well as a Democratic city council member, filed a lawsuit challenging the law on constitutional and statutory grounds.[48]

    On June 27, 2022, the New York State Supreme Court, a state district court, ruled that Local Law 11 violated the state's constitution and blocked implementation.[49] After appeals, the New York Court of Appeals, the state's highest court, upheld lower courts' decisions, and permanently blocked the law on March 20, 2025. In a 6-1 decision, the court held and affirmed that Article II, Section 1 of the New York Constitution limits voting to citizens.[50] Writing in the majority, Chief Judge Rowan Wilson wrote, "Whatever the future may bring, the New York Constitution as it stands today draws a firm line restricting voting to citizens."[50] Dissenting, judge Jenny Rivera disagreed with the majority's reading of Article II, Section 1, and wrote, "restrictions on local control can only be achieved by express constitutional or state statutory limitations on the exercise of local authority over local elections, and not by implication. There is no such express prohibition on local enfranchisement of noncitizens."[50]

    See below for a timeline of the litigation:

    View all

    Noncitizen voting in San Francisco upheld by California Court of Appeal (2023)

    According to the city of San Francisco's website, non-citizen parents of children residing in San Francisco are permitted to vote in San Francisco Board of Education elections. Noncitizens are not permitted to vote in other local, state, or federal elections.

    In 2016, voters in San Francisco passed a charter amendment called Proposition N with 54% support. The amendment read, "Shall the City allow a non-citizen resident of San Francisco who is of legal voting age and the parent, legal guardian or legally recognized caregiver of a child living in the San Francisco Unified School District to vote for members of the Board of Education?" The law took effect in 2018. San Francisco Superior Court Judge Richard B. Ulmer, Jr. struck down Proposition N in July 2022, stating that the law violated the state Constitution. Ulmer ruled that "the [California] Constitution ... reserves the right to vote to a United States citizen, contrary to (the) San Francisco ordinance."[56] To read the full ruling, click here.

    A California Court of Appeal overturned Ulmer's ruling a few months later, arguing that Prop N was in fact permissible under the state constitution and the City Charter. According to the city of San Francisco's website, "On August 8, 2023, a California Court of Appeal upheld San Francisco’s non-citizen voting program. The decision permits non-citizen parents of children residing in San Francisco to continue to vote in San Francisco Board of Education Elections."[57]

    Explore election legislation with Ballotpedia

    • Try Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker
      Try Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker
      Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker provides daily updates on legislative activity related to election policy in all 50 states.

      Our election policy experts translate complex bill text into easy-to-understand summaries. And because it's from Ballotpedia, our legislation tracker is guaranteed to be neutral, unbiased, and nonpartisan.
      Search bills
    • Read Ballotpedia's State of Election Administration Legislation Reports
      Read Ballotpedia's State of Election Administration Legislation Reports
      Ballotpedia publishes regular analysis of election administration legislation, including three full reports per year, providing ongoing coverage of legislative activity affecting election policy in each state.

      These reports deliver insights into partisan priorities, dive deep into notable trends, and highlight activity in key states.
      Read the latest report
    • Subscribe to The Ballot Bulletin

      Subscribe to The Ballot Bulletin
      The Ballot Bulletin is a weekly email that delivers the latest updates on election policy.

      The newsletter tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. Each email contains in-depth data from our Election Administration Legislation Tracker.
      Subscribe


    See also

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ Note that Pew's count of immigrants living in the U.S. illegally included individuals with temporary protection from deportation, like under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
    2. ↑ Pew Research Center, "Key findings about U.S. immigrants," August 20, 2020
    3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Cornell Law School, "18 U.S. Code § 611 - Voting by aliens," accessed February 15, 2023
    4. ↑ San Francisco Chronicle, "Judge strikes down San Francisco law allowing noncitizen parents to vote in school elections," July 29, 2022
    5. ↑ City of San Francisco, "Non-citizen voting rights in local Board of Education elections," accessed June 4, 2024
    6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 The Washington Post, "House votes to block D.C. bills on noncitizen voting, criminal code," February 10, 2023
    7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 The Washington Post, "Legal challenge filed against D.C.’s noncitizen voting law," May 13, 2023
    8. ↑ U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, "STACIA HALL, et al., v. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA BOARD OF ELECTIONS, Civil Action No. 23-1261 (ABJ)" March 20, 2024
    9. ↑ Maryland, "Constitution of Maryland," accessed March 30, 2020
    10. ↑ Newsweek, "Immigrants are Getting the Right to Vote in Cities Across America," September 13, 2017
    11. ↑ Town of Barnesville, Maryland, "Town Charter," accessed February 15, 2023
    12. ↑ Town of Brentwood, Maryland, "Resolution No. 2020-01," April 8, 2020
    13. ↑ Town of Cheverly, "May 3, 2021 Election Information," February 17, 2021
    14. ↑ Section 3 of the Village of Chevy Chase, "Charter of Incorporation for Section 3 of the Village of Chevy Chase," accessed February 15, 2023
    15. ↑ Town of Colmar Manor, "Charter of the Town of Colmar Manor, Section 501A. Additional Qualified Voters," accessed December 3, 2024
    16. ↑ Maryland Matters, "Edmonston becomes latest Maryland municipality to let noncitizens vote in local elections," November 14, 2024
    17. ↑ Town of Edmonston, Maryland, "Town Charter & Code," accessed December 3, 2024
    18. ↑ City of Frederick, Maryland, "Charter Amendment Resolution 24-24," accessed November 14, 2024
    19. ↑ Town of Garrett Park, "Charter of the Town of Garrett Park," accessed February 15, 2023
    20. ↑ Town of Glen Echo, Maryland, "Town Election," accessed February 15, 2023
    21. ↑ Greenbelt News Review, "Greenbelt Amends City Charter To Allow All-resident Voting," September 26, 2024
    22. ↑ City of Greenbelt, Maryland, "City Code," accessed December 3, 2024
    23. ↑ City of Hyattsville, "Elections," accessed February 15, 2023
    24. ↑ Village of Martin's Additions, "Village Council Elections," accessed February 15, 2023
    25. ↑ City of Mount Rainier, "Charter with 2017 Election amendments," accessed February 15, 2023
    26. ↑ Riverdale Park MD, "Town Charter," accessed February 15, 2023
    27. ↑ Town of Somerset, "Charter," accessed December 12, 2024
    28. ↑ City of Takoma Park, Maryland, "Register to Vote," accessed February 15, 2023
    29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 Seattle Times, "Vermont's Largest City Votes to Allow Nonctiizen Voting," March 9, 2023 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "VTdigger" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "VTdigger" defined multiple times with different content
    30. ↑ Bolts, "Refugee Organizing Helps Spur Noncitizen Voting in Vermont Cities," September 28, 2023
    31. ↑ Vermont General Assembly, "H.177," accessed February 15, 2023
    32. ↑ Vermont General Assembly, "H.227," accessed February 15, 2023
    33. ↑ Berkeley Public Policy Journal, "Spring 2019 Journal: Noncitizen Voting Rights in the United States," March 4, 2019
    34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 34.2 Democracy For All: Restoring Immigrant Voting Rights in the United States, "The Rise and Fall of Immigrant Voting in U.S. History: 1776 to 1926," accessed June 6, 2024
    35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 35.2 35.3 35.4 National Immigration Forum, "The Myths and Truths of Noncitizen Voting in the United States," May 7, 2024
    36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 36.2 36.3 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
    37. ↑ 37.0 37.1 San Francisco Elections Office, "San Francisco Voter Information Pamphlet and Sample Ballot," accessed September 26, 2016
    38. ↑ North Dakotans for Citizen Voting, "Q&A," accessed August 23, 2018
    39. ↑ North Dakotans for Citizen Voting, "Q&A," accessed June 7, 2024
    40. ↑ The Dickinson Press, "Change or distraction? Petition seeks to rewrite constitutional language on who can vote," June 17, 2018
    41. ↑ Cornell Law School, "8 U.S. Code § 1182 - Inadmissible aliens," accessed February 15, 2023
    42. ↑ Cornell Law School, "8 U.S. Code § 1227 - Deportable aliens," accessed February 15, 2023
    43. ↑ University of Kentucky, "The Right to Vote Under Local Law," accessed February 15, 2023
    44. ↑ Wisconsin had a ballot measure related to citizenship requirements for voting in the 2024 elections
    45. ↑ Politico, "New York becomes largest city to grant vote to noncitizens," December 9, 2021
    46. ↑ The New York Times, "Noncitizens’ Right to Vote Becomes Law in New York City," January 9, 2022
    47. ↑ NBC News, "New York City Mayor Eric Adams allows noncitizen voting bill to become law," January 10, 2022
    48. ↑ Democracy Docket, "New York Judge Strikes Down NYC’s Noncitizen Voting Law," June 27, 2022
    49. ↑ 49.0 49.1 Democracy Docket, "Full Judgement NYSCEF Doc. No. 174," June 27, 2022
    50. ↑ 50.0 50.1 50.2 State of New York Court of Appeals, "No. 15 Vito J. Fossella, et al., Respondents, v. Eric Adams, &c. et al., Defendants; Decision," March 20, 2025
    51. ↑ Democracy Docket, "New York Judge Strikes Down NYC’s Noncitizen Voting Law," June 27, 2022
    52. ↑ Reuters, "New York judge rules law allowing noncitizens to vote for mayor is unconstitutional," June 27, 2022
    53. ↑ Politico, "NYC’s non-citizen voting law ruled unconstitutional on appeal ," February 21, 2024
    54. ↑ Supreme Court of the State of New York Appellate Division: Second Judicial Department, "Fossella v Adams - D73920," February 21, 2024
    55. ↑ AP News, "New York City argues for noncitizen voting law before state’s top court," February 11, 2024
    56. ↑ San Francisco Chronicle, "Judge strikes down San Francisco law allowing noncitizen parents to vote in school elections," July 29, 2022
    57. ↑ City of San Francisco, "Non-citizen voting rights in local Board of Education elections," accessed June 4, 2024
    Retrieved from "https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=Laws_permitting_noncitizens_to_vote_in_the_United_States&oldid=10485350"