Voting rights for non citizen residents?

" Six Maryland municipalities — Chevy Chase, Takoma Park, Garrett Park, Barnesville, Martin's Additions and Somerset — allow noncitizens to vote only in local elections. However, in state and national elections, voters must meet the state standards for voter registration. "

Why they are allowed to vote at all baffles me.....isn't voting an American Citizens right ? I am sorry, but if your not a citizen of this country then you have NO business at all voting not even local elections. Screw that !!

Only citizens should have the right to vote in this country. Legal residents don't have a permanent citizenship. Their green cards or work visas eventually expire and they either A) go back to their home country or B) take the test to become American citizens. Why should people who aren't permanently established as citizens in this country be able to make decisions for the way our government handles things? If that's what some people want, then we might as well start handing out ballots to Canadians and any other foreigners living outside the jurisdiction.

Did you actually read the article? Plus, who knows if its real-- would need confirmation from some reliable source.

The article says that some places have either done it or are planning to do it for local elections.

Currently, in many places you have to be a citizen.

Frankly, if you want to vote, I saw you need to become a citizen. And certainly no vote if you aren't a legal resident.

There is no absolute rule regarding non-citizen voting. Each city or town, as well as each state, has the constitutionally-given right to decide for themselves whether or not to allow non-citizens to vote in the various elections.

So far, the only voting rights granted to non-citizens have been for school boards and (in a couple of very limited cases) for municipal elections (mayor, city council, etc.).

I hope this is helpful!

I understand they can be allowed by municipalities to vote in municipalities. I don't know specific laws on the subject, but would start with Maywood, if I were looking.

The initial idea was that LEGAL residents may not be able to vote though permanently here, and that school boards and municipality elections go more to day to day lifestyle than to the 'shape of our country'. However, when illegal immigrants vote who shouldn't even be here much be less impacting how schools are run, that is a very different matter, to my mind.

One cannot vote unless you are a Legal US citizen. First you apply for a visa to come to the US, you then apply for a green card. After 5 years you can apply for citizenship, then you can vote. If anyone that is NOT legal and voting can be deported and barred from ever coming into the US. Anytime you fill out a voter registration card you have to indicate that you are a legal US Citizen. If an illegal fills out a voting card and indicates that they are a US Citizen, they are lying under oath and will NEVER have the opportunity to be legal.

You have to be a citizen in order to vote for someone for federal office: President, Senate, House. Some jurisdictions allow green card holders to vote in local elections. I don't have a problem with that. If someone has a green card they have to wait 5 years before they can apply for citizenship. In the mean time if they have a house and a family they should have a say in local affairs that affect them.

Voting is a privilege that should only be given to citizens of the country in which they intend to vote. No one else.

Write protest letters to ANY city etc that's doing that. Voting is a citizen's right, extending it to non-citizens is in effect letting other countries 'run' ours. Feel like paying taxes to Mexico? I don't.

Non-citizens don't a have the right to vote yet. Wait till you become one.