Key facts
- A proposal to allow noncitizens to vote in Los Angeles municipal elections is being considered.
- Councilmember Raman supports exploring the expansion of voting rights for tax-paying residents.
- San Francisco and Oakland have existing programs allowing noncitizens to vote in school board elections.
- Los Angeles would be the first city in California to consider noncitizen voting in municipal elections.
- State Senator Scott Wiener supports San Francisco's policy but remained noncommittal on the Los Angeles proposal.
- David Campos suggested the current political climate might not be receptive to such measures.
- Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez advocates for Democrats to be bold on the issue.
A proposal in Los Angeles that would allow noncitizens to vote in municipal elections has drawn mixed reactions from California Democrats, with many expressing caution due to the current political climate and the measure's undefined scope.
Councilmember Raman voiced support for exploring the idea, stating that residents who pay taxes and contribute to the community deserve a voice. Similar initiatives are already in place in San Francisco and Oakland, where voters approved programs in 2016 and 2022, respectively, allowing noncitizen parents to vote in school board elections. However, Los Angeles would be the first city in California to consider noncitizen voting in municipal elections.
State Senator Scott Wiener, who is running for Congress, noted his support for San Francisco's policy, which focused on parents voting in school board elections, but declined to comment on the Los Angeles effort. David Campos, vice chair of the California Democratic Party and a former San Francisco supervisor, suggested that the political atmosphere has become less receptive to pro-immigrant measures since 2016, even in a strongly Democratic city.
Despite the general caution, Los Angeles Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez urged Democrats to be bold, asserting that the proposal aligns with the party's core values.