Staff Reports
The House of Representatives, with the support of 218 Republicans and 42 Democrats, recently passed a resolution to disapprove of the action of the District of Columbia Council in approving the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022. This act would allow non-citizens, including undocumented immigrants, to vote in local elections in D.C. This has caused an uproar among both sides of the political spectrum.
The Local Residents Voting Rights Amendment Act passes! For nearly a decade, I've championed expanding voting rights so that those who have made the District their home have the right for their voices to be heard in our local issues, no matter their immigration status.
— Brianne K. Nadeau (@BrianneKNadeau) October 18, 2022
The resolution was introduced by Rep. James Comer and was met with praise from Republicans for taking a stand against the D.C. Council’s decision. Rep. Comer released a statement applauding the bipartisan effort to ensure that only American citizens have the right to vote in American elections. He went on to say that the D.C. Council’s actions are irresponsible and dangerous and that they should be prevented from taking effect.
The radical left, however, has been infuriated by the resolution. D.C. Councilwoman Brianne Nadeau tweeted her disapproval of the resolution, saying that it would prevent those who have made the District their home from having their voices heard on local issues, regardless of their immigration status.
In October 2022, the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act was approved by the D.C. Council. The act permits non-citizens to participate in local elections in Washington D.C., including races for Mayor, Council Chair or Member, Attorney General, Board of Education, ANC, and any initiative, recall, referendum, or charter referendum. However, non-citizens will not be granted the right to vote in federal elections.
To be eligible to vote under the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act, certain criteria must be met. These include being 18 years of age or older on the day of the general election, residing in Washington D.C. for a minimum of 30 days prior to the election, and not declaring voting residency in any other state or U.S. territory.
The House resolution is a clear statement that American citizens should be the only ones allowed to vote in American elections and that non-citizens should not be given that right. It has caused a great deal of controversy on both sides of the political spectrum and will likely continue to be a hot topic of debate in the coming months.
The preceding article is a summary of an article that originally appeared on Trending Politics
