As our nation celebrates its 250th birthday, Americans can rightfully swell with pride at the democratic revolution that began a quarter millennium ago. Our Founding Fathers started a tradition of government of, by, and for the people that has spread throughout the world. To honor their legacy, we can and should amend the federal Constitution to enact a simple premise: that only citizens may participate in the sacred act of voting.
In Maryland, many communities extend the franchise well beyond American citizens, with 16 separate municipalities authorizing some type of noncitizen voting. Given the numerous measures for noncitizen voting at the local level, it’s reasonable to ask whether the Maryland legislature will soon attempt to go one step further, enacting noncitizen voting at the state level.
Provisions in our federal Constitution mean that any action by Maryland, or any other state, to allow noncitizens to vote in state elections will automatically trigger noncitizen voting at the federal level as well. Article One, Section Two of the Constitution specifies that the electorate for the U.S. House of Representatives shall consist of those people who “have the qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature.” Likewise, the 17th Amendment, which provided for the direct election of senators, extended those provisions to elections for the United States Senate.
Thus, if Maryland – or any other state – enacts noncitizen voting for its state legislature, it will automatically permit noncitizens to vote on the federal level as well. This scenario raises many logistical and philosophical issues, starting with the fact that noncitizens could have their votes counted in some but not all states.
More fundamentally, however, allowing citizens of foreign countries to vote in our federal elections sends the wrong message. And I say that not because I bear any animus towards individuals not born in the United States – indeed, I hail from outside the United States myself.
As someone born in Brazil who was brought here as a child nearly four decades ago, I recognize how individuals from all nations can merge and blend into the American melting pot. In fact, I wholeheartedly welcome such actions – provided that individuals go through the process of becoming a naturalized citizen before attempting to vote. Just as I would not attempt to participate in a religion’s most sacred rituals without having first adopted that religion’s creed and officially converted, so too should individuals first become American citizens before participating in our nation’s most important civic act.
For all these reasons, I believe Congress should pass an amendment to the U.S. Constitution specifying that only American citizens may vote in federal elections. Rep. Laurel Lee of Florida has proposed legislation, H.J. Res. 152, that would codify this stipulation.
Polling by the organization I lead, Americans for Citizen Voting, shows that nine in 10 Americans support the concept of citizen-only voting. And in 15 states where it has appeared on the ballot in recent years, voters have supported measures regarding citizen-only voting by a margin of roughly 3 to 1.
Over two centuries ago, our nation’s founding generation dedicated their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to giving future generations a say in our nation’s affairs. We can honor their sacrifice by passing a constitutional amendment for citizen-only voting, ensuring that only Americans will elect the officials who help decide our nation’s fate.
