Could Immigrant Voting Strengthen US Democracy?

Some argue that expanding suffrage to immigrants could strengthen US democracy, a relevant issue in this election year. US law currently restricts citizens' voting, a policy since 1926. Only a few local jurisdictions in states, including Maryland and Vermont, allow non-citizen voting in limited local elections. Supporters of immigrant suffrage believe it is both fair and beneficial to the political system, broadening the range of perspectives in decision-making.

The principle of democracy: Allowing immigrants to vote would better reflect democracy. ‘Democracy comes from the Greek words ‘demos’ and ‘kratia’, meaning ‘people’ and ‘power.’ Allowing immigrants to vote will further this idea of ‘people power’. Since all residents (citizens and non-citizens) are included, more people can have a say in issues which impact their homes. The US can look to some EU countries, such as Germany and Italy, which already have non-citizen residents voting in local elections.

“Immigrants voting would further democracy”

Broader perspectives: Including immigrants would expand the diversity of voices in elections, helping to ensure all viewpoints are represented. This need for representation aligns with the need for geographical constituencies and citizens' assemblies, which aim to reflect how people think differently from various backgrounds and regions.

Delays in naturalisation: Many eligible for US citizenship face delays due to bureaucratic backlogs. The current average wait for naturalisation is nearly five months, with hundreds of thousands waiting. Allowing immigrants to vote would mitigate the negative effects of these delays, enabling them to participate in politics sooner.

Granting voting rights to immigrants presents significant challenges in changing the bureaucracy around voting and in the immigrants’ ability to be genuinely part of the nation. The opposition to immigrant suffrage argues that these challenges, both practically and socially, outweigh the benefits of immigrants being part of the democratic system.

Legal and logistical difficulties: Changing the law to allow non-citizens to vote would face significant legal hurdles. Many new laws and electoral regulation standards would be needed to define what constitutes a voting immigrant. Alongside legal challenges, public opposition can likely arise, as seen in New York City, where an attempt in recent years to extend voting to non-citizen residents was struck down.

“Only citizens understand the local context to vote”

Lack of local context: Some argue that immigrants may lack the deep understanding of US politics that long-term citizens have. Those who have lived in the country their entire lives may feel better equipped to judge which leaders and policies are best. This spirit is also present in voting for state elections in which understanding the political needs of locals requires a good amount of time in learning the local culture to then become a citizen and vote.

Risk of foreign interference: Immigrant voting could increase the risk of foreign states influencing elections. Governments sometimes encourage or mandate emigration, whether through forced expulsions or removing barriers to relocation, in hopes of altering the politics of another country. Historical examples, such as the 1980 Mariel Boatlift from Cuba, highlight concerns about how mass migration can be used to affect domestic politics.