A Local Council Takes Up a Citywide Debate
The is set to vote on whether to formally oppose a controversial Los Angeles City Council measure that would allow noncitizen residents to vote in local elections.
The Toluca Lake Neighborhood Council voted on whether to oppose Council File 26-0638, a measure that would allow noncitizens to vote in Los Angeles city and school board elections. The Los Angeles City Council advanced the measure 10-5 on June 17 for the November 3 ballot.
The is set to vote on whether to formally oppose a controversial Los Angeles City Council measure that would allow noncitizen residents to vote in local elections.
The vote was scheduled for June 16 regarding Council File 26-0638, a proposed charter amendment introduced by City Councilmembers Hugo Soto-Martinez and Ysabel Jurado. The measure would expand voting rights to noncitizens in Los Angeles city elections and Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education elections.
"People have spent many years here, and in many cases, decades, contributing to the city of Los Angeles," Soto-Martinez said. "This is about local representation and local democracy."
The Toluca Lake vote comes after the full Los Angeles City Council already moved the measure forward. On June 17, the council voted 10 to 5 to place the noncitizen voting proposal on the November 3 general election ballot, according to the Daily 49er.
The charter amendment would authorize the City Council and mayor to later create a residential voting program through ordinance. If voters approve the measure in November, the council would then establish eligibility requirements, registration procedures, and safeguards for noncitizen voters.
The expanded voting rights would apply only to Los Angeles city and LAUSD elections. Noncitizens would not be permitted to vote in county, state, or federal contests, which federal law prohibits.
Advocates have discussed possible eligibility criteria. Options include extending voting rights to:
The exact requirements have not yet been determined, according to Soto-Martinez's office.
Those backing the measure argue that noncitizen residents contribute to the city every day but lack a voice in the elections that shape their communities.
"For me, it will be the first time I will have a chance to vote and help decide who represents me," said Ana Cruz, a DACA recipient and community organizer who has lived in Los Angeles for 23 years, according to the Los Angeles Times. "Without a doubt, this strengthens our democracy."
Grace McManus, a Filipina permanent resident and caregiver who has lived in Los Angeles for 24 years, echoed that sentiment.
"I am too familiar with the feeling of working and taking on low-wage work while feeling invisible because my voice is disregarded just because of our broken immigration system," McManus said.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 5-year estimate, 36 percent of Los Angeles residents, about 1.4 million people, were born abroad. That figure does not include undocumented residents, so the number of noncitizen residents is likely higher.
Opponents argue that allowing noncitizens to vote could lead to foreign influence in American elections and discourage noncitizens from pursuing citizenship.
"Citizenship does mean something. It means you are a fully participating member of society," said Ira Mehlman, spokesperson for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, according to the Los Angeles Times. "It doesn't seem unreasonable to say you've got to do some time here and demonstrate that you're somebody that we want as a citizen."
Los Angeles would not be alone in considering noncitizen voting. Several jurisdictions have already adopted similar measures:
If approved, Los Angeles would become the largest U.S. city to expand local voting rights to noncitizens, according to the Daily 49er.
The Toluca Lake Neighborhood Council's vote on whether to oppose the measure represents one of many local responses across the city as the debate heads to the November ballot. Neighborhood councils across Los Angeles have been weighing positions on the proposal as the council package moves through the charter reform process.
The outcome of the TLNC vote signals how this particular community stands on a question that will soon be decided by all Los Angeles voters.
This article was generated with AI assistance.