Non-Citizen Voting Efforts Fail in San Francisco and Portland, Maine

The Washington Independent ^ | 11/3/10 | Elise Foley

[jdirt]

A ballot question in Portland, Maine, that would have given legal immigrants the right to vote in city elections was voted down yesterday, with 52 percent voting against it and 48 percent voting in support. The measure would have allowed residents who had not yet obtained citizenship — but not undocumented immigrants — to vote for city council, school board and other local issues.

I wrote a story about the Portland effort last month, and supporters told me the initiative was based on making elections fairer to legal residents. It takes at least five years for immigrants legally in the country to become citizens, and can be much longer because of the difficulty of the citizenship test and steep naturalization fees. In the meantime, non-citizens pay taxes and use city services, and immigrant rights groups argued they should be allowed to impact the elections.

Opponents of the law, on the other hand, said voting should be limited to citizens; otherwise, legal residents would have little incentive to complete the naturalization process. In San Francisco, a ballot provision to allow parents of public school students — including illegal immigrants — to vote in school board elections also failed, 54 percent to 46 percent. If it had passed, San Francisco would have joined Chicago as one of the few cities that allows undocumented immigrants to vote in school elections if their children attend school. Non-citizens are banned from voting in most of the country, except in a few Maryland cities. Early in the country’s history, non-citizens often voted.

[Libloather]

48 percent voting in support.

How many of those were illegals?

[dixiechick2000]

Yee haw!

I hope that the Maine sisters are keeping in touch with their constituency. ;o)

[Pelham]

Not as many illegals as voted for Loretta Sanchez. She won.

[ari-freedom]

Maine did very well and elected a pro-life governor (you expecting a RINO, huh?) and GOP now controls both houses.

[Baladas]

That Paul LePage dude? Yeah, I heard he won. I was on his election campaign somehow and I live in WA state? Anyways, glad he won, sounds like Maine made a good choice there with him.

[devolve]

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early pun while debugging my internet gizmo

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[Stormtrooper79]

Tru dat.

[thethirddegree]

We need to deport or imprison ALL illegal aliens, including their anchor babies, seal/secure the border with a WALL and fence, and have a lethal response to anyone trying to re-enter illegally.

[bcsco]

This is a ping list promoting Immigration Enforcement and Congressional Reform.
If you wish to be added or removed from this ping list, please contact me.

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[HiJinx]

Ping!

[potlatch]

I missed what ‘she is wishing’?

[devolve]

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The world!

A little play on the phrase

sow/so

This little? piggy

[potlatch]

OK, I thought you had heard something new about her on Rush or something. I usually know what your ‘word plays’ mean.

[Regulator]

Early in the country’s history, non-citizens often voted

Yes but, they were in the country legally, and were assumed to be on their way to citizenship.

Someone needs to take the Chicago law to court. Nothing in Plyler v. Doe mentions giving the vote to people who have no say in any part of the People's business - and the courts have defined the People as the citizenry, not just the Invader class.

[devolve]

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Watching Beck now -

[potlatch]

Me too.