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RECENT ARTICLES ABOUT NONCITIZEN VOTING RIGHTS
April
2006 From the History News Network, by Ron Hayduk: The growing immigrant rights movement has brought immigrants' struggle for political power center stage. The way to give non-citizens more political power would be to give them the vote. But voting is only for citizens, right? Not really. Although it is not widely known, noncitizen voting is as old as the Republic itself and as American as apple pie and baseball. Noncitizens voted from 1776 until 1926 in forty states and federal territories in local, state and even federal elections. Noncitizens also held public office. In a country where "no taxation without representation" was a rallying cry for revolution, such a proposition was not far-fetched. It was common sense that government should rest on the consent of the governed. The idea that noncitizens should have the vote is older, was practiced longer, and is more consistent with democratic ideals than the idea that they should not. Historically, voting and citizenship worked both ways. The right to vote has never been intrinsically tied to citizenship, which is why women and African Americans -- who were citizens -- were widely denied the vote until 1920 and 1965, respectively. Voting has always been about who has a say and who will have influence over the actions of government. READ MORE AND POST COMMENTS
by Shreema Mehta Tapping into momentum from the recent nationwide outpouring of pro-immigrant rallies, a coalition of rights groups in New York City has won the re-introduction of a bill that would give more than a million legal residents the right to vote in city elections. The measure is the result of a long campaign to gain citywide support for noncitizen voting by the New York Coalition to Expand Voting Rights, which represents around 70 immigrant-rights, labor, religious and other advocacy groups. After two years of community forums, direct mail outreach, and meetings with 40 local lawmakers, last week* *the Coalition worked with Brooklyn Councilor Charles Barron to re-introduce the Voting Rights Restoration Act in City Council. The bill would enfranchise approximately 1.3 million immigrant residents age eighteen or older who are not yet citizens. Advocates are currently working on gaining co-sponsors and pushing a council hearing on the bill. READ MORE
Queens Ledger
CITY HALL - While Congress debates whether to tighten borders or provide a path for illegal immigrants to become U.S. citizens, a coalition of more than 60 New York groups - including labor unions and faith-based organizations - are working to expand immigrants' rights by winning the right for them to vote in municipal elections. For City Councilman Charles Barron, D-Brooklyn, it's an issue of "taxation without representation," which is why he reintroduced legislation yesterday to give "documented non-citizens" who have lived in the city for six months or longer the right to vote for mayor, City Council, borough president and other local officials and referenda. "Non-citizens pay
taxes, die in wars and contribute to the cultural, intellectual and
financial capital of the city," Barron said during a press conference
yesterday that included community members ready to field questions also in
Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Punjabi and Haitian Kreyol. "They should be able
to decide who represents them."
READ MORE Amsterdam News April 6, 2006 Immigrants rights movement affecting African Americans [LINK UNAVAILABLE] By Karen Juanita Carrillo The nation's growing movement for immigrant rights is making some people take a second look at the current work and living conditions African Americans face. With right-wing calls for deportation of immigrants, and amidst claims that immigrants are stealing jobs from U.S. citizens - which, in many cases means working class African Americans - some portions of the U.S.-born Black community have turned their anger at immigrants. "But African Americans should join the immigrant rights movement. We're already part of it; we're intricately connected to it," claimed Councilman Charles Barron (D-Brooklyn). "We need to get our focus straight: Your enemy is not immigrants. Your enemy is white male domination, the white male power structure. What is stopping us from getting jobs is not immigrants. We should not settle for that divide-and-conquer tactic," added Baron, who is currently sponsoring the Voting Rights Restoration Act in New York City Council. [LINK TO FULL ARTICLE UNAVAILABLE] New York Post April 5, 2006 "LET US VOTE: ALIENS" By FRANKIE EDOZIEN -- A push to give Big Apple residents who aren't citizens the right to vote kicks off today, with throngs of immigrants flocking to City Hall to back legislation giving them access to the ballot box. The Voting Rights Restoration Act would allow permanent residents, or "green card" holders, who have lived in the city for more than six months to vote in local elections. "We have a large number of people who are documented and pay taxes, but can't vote," said Councilman Kendall Stewart (D-Manhattan), chairman of the council's Immigration Committee and a prime sponsor of the bill. But Councilman James Oddo (R-S.I), who opposes the bill, called it "an affront on hardworking Americans." READ MORE March 2006 NewsMax.com
Non-Citizens Expected to Get Voting Rights in NYC "We’re very excited and very optimistic that this will pass," New York City Councilman Charles Barron said at a recent press briefing. "We see this as the historical launching of something that should have happened a long time ago," the outspoken Democrat added. Dubbed the "Voting Rights Restoration Act," the measure would permit immigrants who have a green card to vote in municipal elections, including for mayor, comptroller and city council, after having lived in the city for six months. READ MORE Le Monde (France) March 27, 2006 "Saint-Denis Residents Approve Foreigners' Right to Vote in Local Elections" Summary: Two-thirds of residents of Saint-Denis voted in a referendum Sunday March 26 in favor of allowing foreigners to vote in local elections, 64.11% to 30.99% against. The mayor of Saint-Denis, Didier Paillard (PCF), proposed the change, which has received unanimous support from the left. "It's not normal that in this country people who live here cannot vote in local elections, even though they work and pay taxes" said Mr. Francois Hollande, the first secretary of the Socialist Party" The referendum was only symbolic, however, as the Cergy administrative court ruled in February that it was not legally binding. Les habitants de Saint-Denis favorables au droit de vote des étrangers aux élections locales LEMONDE.FR | 27.03.06 | 08h27 • Mis à jour le 27.03.06 | 08h40 Deux tiers des habitants de Saint-Denis (Seine-Saint-Denis) ayant participé, dimanche 26 mars, au référendum local sur le droit de vote et d'éligibilité des étrangers aux élections locales s'y sont déclarés favorables, a-t-on appris auprès de la mairie. Le "oui" l'a emporté par 64,11 % des voix, soit 7 027 électeurs. La participation s'est élevée à 30,99 %. Français, naturalisés ou étrangers, les habitants ont été nombreux à participer au premier référendum local ouvert aux étrangers – et donc illégal – organisé à ce jour en France. La consultation, qui portait sur le droit de vote et d'éligibilité des étrangers, avait été lancée par le maire de Saint-Denis, Didier Paillard (PCF). READ MORE
BRUSSELS — Cities and municipalities have launched their information campaign in a bid to inform foreign residents of their voting rights for the October local elections. However, the clock is ticking: all eligible immigrant voters — those who have lived in Belgium for at least five years and are prepared to honour the Belgian Constitution — must be registered by 1 August. And some groups fear only a small number of eligible foreign voters will register to vote because they are not aware of their rights. READ MORE
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