The House of Representatives moved forward with a bill on Thursday to cancel a Washington, D.C. law that permits noncitizens to vote in local elections.
A total of 52 Democrats voted in favor of the measure, while 143 Democrats voted against it. This resulted in a final vote of 262 in favor and 143 against.
The D.C. law was passed by the city council in 2022 and recently won a court challenge earlier this year.
Republicans who were against the bill cautioned that if non-Americans were allowed to participate in deciding what local officials govern the nation’s capital, it could potentially harm national security.
“We are discussing a law that would make it illegal for people from other countries to vote in elections in D.C.” The law prevents individuals who are in the country illegally from voting in elections. Spies from China are not allowed to vote in elections. “The bill prevents individuals from Russia who have malicious intentions towards the United States from voting in the elections in D.C.,” stated Rep. Garret Graves, R-La., during the debate for the bill.
Republican lawmakers have also accused Democrats of trying to influence the outcome of elections by encouraging illegal immigrants to register to vote – something that the left has denied.
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“It would be very risky for someone without legal documentation to put their name on a public and open document like a voter registration form…Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., said that they were unable to find any evidence of undocumented people doing so. “To put it simply, the district uses this practice for local elections and local government functions in line with its historical usage. It is meant for permanent residents who are active members of the community and are in the process of becoming citizens.”
Representative August Pfluger, a Republican from Texas, introduced the bill last year. He highlighted how important elections have been decided by very small differences in votes in recent years. He stated that giving undocumented people the opportunity to vote could potentially influence the outcome of an entire election.
“They want people to vote for mayor, attorney general, members of the state Board of Education, and other positions.” Some people may argue that these elections are only happening in a specific area. There are regular democratic elections that decide things like taxation, the criminal code, and the election of city council members. These council members are responsible for making decisions about ordinances, such as who is eligible to vote. “In addition, it is worth noting that many of these decisions are made by small differences in votes,” Pfluger said.
This is the most recent attempt by House GOP leaders to increase voting security, which they are doing about six months before the November 2024 elections.
The House will vote on D.C.’s local law on the same day that an important House committee is expected to move forward with a bill to increase enforcement and penalties for undocumented individuals who vote in federal elections.
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