Document Actions
Group Gathering Signatures for Non-Citizens Vote
A group trying to make it legal for non-U.S. citizens to vote in Portland city elections is taking its fight to City Hall.
A group trying to make it legal for non-U.S. citizens to vote in Portland city elections is taking its fight to City Hall.
Earlier this month, the city's charter commission voted against giving non-citizens the right to vote. Monday morning, supporters met the city clerk to kick off a petition drive to try to amend the charter themselves.
Supporters of the plan say legal, non-U.S. citizens in Portland contribute just as much to the city as U.S. citizens, including paying taxes and sending kids to public schools, but are still struggling through the lengthy process of obtaining U.S. citizenship and deserve to have the right to have their say in the system. Opponents say the right to vote should simply be left to U.S. citizens alone.
The plan would only allow non-U.S. citizens the ability to vote on city matters, and not things like state ballot measures or presidential elections.
The League of Young Voters has to collect the signatures of 5,100 Portland voters in order to get the measure on the November ballot.
