Advocates are urging support for measures that would allow non-citizens to vote in LA elections

Ana Cruz was 13 years old when she came to the US from Mexico with her family. But after 23 years living in Los Angeles, raising two children and working as a community organizer, she has never been able to vote in any election because of her status as a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which does not provide a path to citizenship.

Now he is among those supporting a proposal by Los Angeles City Council Member Hugo Soto-Martínez that would allow non-citizens to vote in city and Los Angeles Unified School District elections.

“For me, it will be the first time I have the opportunity to vote and help decide who will represent me,” said Cruz in a press conference in support of this move at City Hall on Tuesday. “Without a doubt, this strengthens our democracy.”

Soto-Martínez is seeking council support to include the measure in a package of City Charter changes that will go to voters for approval in the Nov. 3 general election. The council is scheduled to discuss this and other proposed charter changes on Friday.

Extended voting eligibility will only apply to Los Angeles city and Los Angeles Unified School District elections, not county, state or federal contests.

Other cities and states, including Maryland, Vermont and San Francisco, have taken similar measures.

“People have spent many years here, and in many cases, decades, contributing to the city of Los Angeles,” Soto-Martinez said. “This is about local representation and local democracy.”

The proposal has already faced backlash.

Ira Mehlman, a spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, said Tuesday that noncitizens who pay taxes benefit from public services, and that the temporary status serves as a probationary period until people take the oath of citizenship.

“Citizenship means something, it means that you are a fully participating member of society,” he said. “It doesn’t seem unreasonable that you should spend time here and prove that you are the person we want as a citizen.”

If it is put on the ballot and approved by voters, the City Council would then need to pass an ordinance creating a residential voting system and establishing eligibility requirements.

While those requirements have not been determined, lawmakers have discussed options that could include extending voting to legal permanent residents, or green card holders, DACA recipients and others who live, work and pay taxes in Los Angeles, according to the council member’s office.

Soto-Martínez first brought up the idea in April, with the support of council member Ysabel Jurado, who also signed the proposal.

Soto-Martínez represents District 13, which includes many immigrant and mixed-race communities living in Echo Park, Hollywood and Filipinotown. He said the Trump administration has terrorized communities by targeting immigrants and tearing families apart, and that his move is aimed at strengthening the city’s values.

“We say LA is for everyone, and that means no exceptions,” she said.

Among the potential beneficiaries is Grace McManus, a Filipino mother, caregiver and LA resident for 24 years. As a permanent resident, he said he has no say in choosing the officials who shape his daily life, even though he pays taxes and cares for the elderly.

“I’m very used to the feeling of working and doing a low-wage job while feeling invisible because my voice is being ignored just because of our broken immigration system,” said McManus.

Public speakers at Tuesday’s City Council meeting also called for approval.

“Trump and MAGA want to limit voting. We need to fight to expand it, so all our neighbors have the same rights as us,” said Julie Van Winkle, vice president of United Teachers Los Angeles, during public comment.

Martha Arévalo, executive director of the Central American Resource Center, stood by Soto-Martínez as she gathered support.

“We know that immigrant communities lift the economy of this nation, and I think that people who contribute to their community, who call this home, should have a voice in their local government,” Arévalo said.