Republican Senator Roger Marshall is introducing the “Demanding Citizenship in DC Elections Act” in response to controversial legislation passed by the D.C. Council in 2022. The bill requires individuals voting in municipal elections in Washington, D.C., to be U.S. citizens and provide proof of citizenship. The Local Resident Voting Rights Act, passed by the D.C. Council, allows noncitizens who have resided in the city for at least 30 days to vote in local elections, run for government offices, and serve on the Board of Elections. Marshall’s bill aims to push back against this law, which he sees as a threat to U.S. sovereignty and a Democratic attempt to interfere in elections.
The D.C. Council’s law allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections has sparked outrage and legal challenges. Although Washington, D.C., has home rule authority to pass laws without federal consent, Congress has the power to overturn laws it disapproves of. Marshall believes allowing noncitizens to vote is part of a larger issue tied to the migrant crisis at the southern border, which he blames on the Biden administration’s policies. He accuses the Democrats of trying to take over elections and undermine democracy by encouraging noncitizens to vote, potentially giving the party an advantage at the ballot box.
Marshall argues that the Democratic party sees illegal immigrants as a voting bloc that can help them win elections. He believes that allowing noncitizens to vote in D.C. elections is a form of election interference that could have serious implications for U.S. democracy. While Marshall’s bill is a beginning step to address this issue, he believes more action is needed to protect the integrity of elections and prevent what he sees as attempts by the current administration to undermine the democratic process. Similar laws in New York City have faced legal challenges, with a judge ruling that noncitizens voting in local elections violates the state’s constitution.
On a national level, there have been multiple attempts by Republicans to include a citizenship question on the census. These efforts are part of a broader push by some members of the party to ensure that only U.S. citizens are participating in local and national elections. Marshall’s bill is in line with this broader effort to protect the voting rights of U.S. citizens and prevent what some Republicans see as attempts by the Democratic party to manipulate the electoral process for their advantage. The ongoing debate over noncitizen voting in D.C. and other jurisdictions reflects the broader partisan divide over immigration policy and its impact on U.S. elections.
