Moderate House Democrats Jared Golden (D-Maine) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.) are co-leading a bipartisan effort to ensure that voting in U.S. elections remains an exclusive right for American citizens. This initiative, spearheaded by Republican Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) and Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.), comes just months before the November presidential election.
This bipartisan move is noteworthy as it highlights a significant shift, especially considering the heated opposition from the progressive left to a recent bill that repealed Washington, D.C.’s policy allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections. Despite the opposition, the repeal passed with support from 52 Democrats.
Earlier this month, the House GOP successfully passed legislation requiring proof of citizenship during the voter registration process. This bill, endorsed by former President Trump, gained support from five Democrats but has yet to be addressed by the Senate.
The proposed legislation from Reps. Golden and Perez aims to prohibit states from allowing noncitizens to vote in federal elections, reinforcing an already existing legal standard. Furthermore, it threatens to withhold federal funding from states that permit noncitizens to vote in state and local elections. The bill also seeks to expand voting access for Americans by requiring states to allow unaffiliated voters to participate in primary elections, countering the practice of “closed primaries” in some states.
Golden emphasized the importance of citizenship in the voting process, stating, “The right to vote in the United States is a right reserved for citizens alone.” Perez echoed this sentiment, highlighting the need to uphold the constitutional ideal that only citizens should make decisions for the country.
Fitzpatrick described the bill as a “commonsense reform” aimed at reinforcing election integrity and ensuring that every U.S. citizen has the unequivocal right to vote, regardless of political affiliation. This legislative push comes amid ongoing debates about the Biden administration’s border and immigration policies, with Republicans arguing that these policies might lead to illegal immigrants voting in American elections.
