RNC sues New York City over non-citizen voting rights legislation

On Sunday, New York’s newly appointed Mayor, Eric Adams, granted into law a new piece of legislation that enables more than 800,000 non-citizens living in New York City the right to vote in local elections. Both Adams and former Mayor Bill de Blasio effectively supported the move by declining to use their veto power to strike down the bill after it was approved by the City Council in December.

"I believe that New Yorkers should have a say in their government, which is why I have and will continue to support this important legislation," the mayor said in a statement, per The New York Times. "I look forward to bringing millions more into the democratic process."

In response to the move, Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said on Monday that the Republicans are challenging the new law in court, arguing that it threatens election integrity.

"American elections should be decided by American citizens. If Democrats can subvert elections this flagrantly in America’s largest city, they can do it anywhere. The RNC is suing to protect the integrity of our elections, and we stand ready to do the same wherever Democrats try to attack the basic security of your ballot," McDaniel stated.

"Plaintiffs contend that the Non-Citizen Voting Law is unconstitutional and violates Articles II and IX of the New York State Constitution as well as the State Election Law and the Municipal Home Rule Law,” the lawsuit states. “Plaintiffs seek a declaratory judgment that the Non-Citizen Voting Law is unconstitutional, violative of New York statutory law, and invalid, as well as an injunction permanently enjoining the Defendants, the Mayor and the New York City Board of Elections, from enforcing or implementing the law in any respect."

Efforts to grant noncitizens, including illegal immigrants, the right to vote in local elections has been a move years in the making, with progressives in the Democrat party citing it as an example of much-needed election reform throughout the United States.

"It’s important for the Democratic Party to look at New York City and see that when voting rights are being attacked, we are expanding voter participation," NYC Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez stated in November.

In San Francisco, noncitizens are allowed to participate in school board elections since 2016 thanks to the passage of Proposition N. Similar efforts are being made in different cities and states to grant noncitizens more voting rights, including jurisdictions in California, Maryland and Vermont.