The city of Burlington, Vermont, is being sued after allowing non-citizens to take part in its elections.
Restoring Integrity and Trust in Elections (RITE) filed a lawsuit against the city, alleging that it violated “voter’s qualifications.”
According to the Vermont Constitution, voter’s qualifications include any U.S. citizen who is over the age of 18.
The case specifically involves the city’s education budget and school board.
“Plaintiffs seek a declaration that authorization of noncitizen voting on matters involving the City of Burlington’s school board and education budget is unconstitutional and void,” the lawsuit states. “That authorization, set forth in a new charter provision for the City of Burlington, permits adult, noncitizen residents to vote in ‘City of Burlington or Burlington School District election[s],’ including the City’s annual education budget.”
“Permitting noncitizens to vote on these issues violates the Vermont Constitution,” the suit claims.
Derek Lyons, President of RITE, said in a statement, “Activists are working overtime to undermine democracy in Vermont by extending the right to vote to noncitizens. This anti-democratic agenda is progressing at an alarming pace. It began in two small towns and has now reached Burlington, Vermont’s largest city.”
“Non-citizen voting violates citizens’ inherent right to direct how their communities are governed. This is simple. U.S. jurisdictions should be governed by U.S. citizens. The non-citizen voting movement achieves the left’s goal of legalizing foreign interference in American elections,” Lyons continued. “It threatens the rule of law and must be stopped before it further infects Vermont and other states in this country. RITE is supporting this lawsuit to enforce the constitutionally protected rights of citizenship.”
Non-citizens are registered to vote across the United States.
American Faith reported that hundreds of non-citizens are eligible and registered to vote in Washington, D.C.
According to The Washington Post, more than 500 non-U.S. citizens have registered to vote. Of those, 169 are Independent, 310 are Democrat, and 28 are Republican. Sixteen have registered as Statehood Green.
Non-citizens are able to vote if they are at least 18 years old and have lived in D.C. for at least 30 days prior to the election. They may vote in Washington, D.C. due to an amended code that expands the definition of a qualified elector.
