Council Member Robert Holden praised a March 20 decision by the New York State Court of Appeals striking down New York City’s plan to let noncitizens vote in local elections.
The Court’s 6-1 decision firmly rejected the City’s 2022 law, which had aimed to grant voting rights to legal permanent residents and noncitizens authorized to work in the U.S. in elections for Mayor, City Council, and other local offices.
The Court of Appeals made it clear that the New York State Constitution restricts voting to citizens, a stance that the state’s highest court has now upheld. Had the law been enacted, it was estimated to apply to roughly 800,000 noncitizens. However, the measure would have excluded noncitizens from voting for president, Congress, or state officials.
The move to empower noncitizens in local elections had faced fierce opposition, particularly from Republican officials. Holden, representing the District 30 neighborhoods of Ridgewood, Maspeth, Middle Village, Glendale, Elmhurst, and Rego Park, issued a statement celebrating the court’s decision.
“This is a major victory for election integrity and the rule of law. The Constitution is clear: noncitizens do not have the right to vote, and this reckless scheme undermined the value of American citizenship,” he stated.
“Ydanis Rodriguez and Mayor Adams wasted taxpayer dollars defending an illegal law that violated state law and common sense. I was proud to be a plaintiff in this case, and today, the courts have affirmed what we always knew—only American citizens should decide our elections.”
The New York City Council passed the measure in an effort to expand civic engagement and represent the city’s diverse population. Council Speaker Adrienne Adams expressed her disappointment with the decision but respected the court’s ruling.
“The council sought to strengthen our city’s democratic process and increase civic engagement by enfranchising the hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers who pay taxes and contribute to our communities but are unable to make their voices heard in local elections,” Speaker Adams stated.
Mayor Eric Adams, who neither vetoed nor signed the law but allowed it to become law without his signature, also reacted to the court’s ruling. Spokesperson Kayla Mamelak Altus stated that the administration respects the court’s decision.
Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa, who had been a vocal critic of the noncitizen voting law, seized on the ruling as an opportunity to focus on boosting voter turnout among working-class New Yorkers.
Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels, argued that before expanding voting rights to noncitizens, the city should focus on engaging the citizens who already feel disconnected from the political process.
“With one of the lowest voter turnout rates in the country, our city needs to do more to engage working people who feel shut out of the process,” said Sliwa.
“Before expanding voting rights to noncitizens, we should focus on ensuring that more New Yorkers feel their voices matter. Too many hardworking people in this city have given up on politics because they believe the system doesn’t work for them.”
Sliwa emphasized the importance of restoring faith in government and encouraging greater participation among eligible voters, particularly in a city where many feel the political system overlooks their concerns.
“Instead of rushing to change voting laws, we should be asking why so many eligible New Yorkers don’t vote,” he added. “Let’s start by making sure the people already here, who work, pay taxes and struggle to get by, feel like they have a real stake in our city’s future.”
