NY Supreme Court Strikes Down Law That Allowed 800,000 Noncitizens Vote
Bo Banks
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In somewhat surprising news, the New York Supreme Court ruled that illegal aliens and noncitizens who are green card holders or have the legal right to work in the United States will not be allowed to vote in local elections.
According to The New York Times, this now struck down bill known as “Our City, Our Vote” would have allowed 800,000 noncitizens to vote in elections. It would have made New York City “the largest municipality in the country to allow noncitizens to vote.”
“It’s important for the Democratic Party to look at New York City and see that when voting rights are being attacked, we are expanding voter participation,” said Ydanis Rodriguez, a councilman who sponsored the bill and represents Washington Heights in Upper Manhattan.
Now, the New York Supreme Court is telling the left-wing city that it has gone too far with its latest “voting rights” bill. Justice Ralph Porzio said that the law was in direct violation of the New York State Constitution.
“The New York State Constitution expressly states that citizens meeting the age and residency requirements are entitled to register and vote in elections,” he said. “Though voting is a right so many citizens take for granted, the City of New York cannot ‘obviate’ the restrictions imposed by the Constitution.”
Regarding the strike down of the law that was slated to go into effect for the 2023 election year, Staten Island City Councilman Joe Borelli said “shame on those who thought they could skirt the law for political gain.”
“Progressives chose to ignore both our constitution and public sentiment in order to suit their aims. I commend the court in recognizing reality and reminding New York’s professional protestor class that the rule of law matters,” he added.
Borelli was one of the outspoken voices that opposed the bill from the beginning. He argued that it was an insane idea for progressives to push for because it would allow someone “who has lived here for 30 days” to “have a say in how we raise our taxes, our debt and long-term pension liabilities.”
“These are things people who are temporary residents should not have a say in,” he argued.
Like most progressive policies in New York, activists were hoping to send a message to the rest of the country to expand voting rights to noncitizens. The “Our City, Our Vote” bill was intended to allow noncitizens to vote for the mayor, public advocate, city council, borough presidents, and school boards. Then they hoped other Democrat states would follow suit.
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