Los Angeles city officials have paused efforts to allow noncitizens, including undocumented immigrants, to vote in city and school district elections after facing mounting concerns from various communities and officials. The proposal, initially championed by City Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez, aimed to expand local voting rights to immigrants who live, work, and pay taxes in the city but do not hold citizenship.
Soto-Martínez, whose district includes Echo Park and Hollywood, first raised the issue during his 2022 campaign and was inspired by policies like San Francisco’s, which permits noncitizen parents to vote in school board elections. In April, the City Council voted in favor of drafting a ballot measure to authorize a process for expanding voting rights. However, just weeks later, the council reversed course and sent the proposal for further study, citing incomplete outreach and unresolved questions.
Key concerns emerged from Black community leaders and religious figures, who worried that the addition of noncitizen voters—predominantly Latino and Asian—could dilute Black voting power and reduce the number of Black elected officials in a city where registered Black voters make up roughly 8 percent of the electorate. The city’s political representation has already seen a decline, with the City Council holding two Black members down from three and similar apprehension about the county Board of Supervisors’ expanded membership structure.
Religious and civil rights organizations echoed these worries, urging a cautious approach to avoid divisions among communities of color who often share similar socio-political challenges. The Rev. K.W. Tulloss of Mobilizing Preachers and Communities highlighted the importance of dialogue and the potential short-term fallout of the measure, despite support for a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
Other critics expressed fears about the potential vulnerability of noncitizen voters amid ongoing federal immigration enforcement, particularly under the Trump administration, which had conducted raids across Southern California. Some feared that new voter registration lists could be targeted by immigration authorities, placing already at-risk immigrants in jeopardy. Former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who supports limited noncitizen voting tied to school enrollment but opposes broader citywide expansion at this time, emphasized the risks related to federal scrutiny.
City officials also pointed to logistical challenges, including how to administer separate ballots for noncitizen voters who would be ineligible for state and national contests, and the associated costs. Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson said the council plans to revisit the issue with thorough analysis and detailed plans to protect voting rights, particularly in Black districts, before the measure could be reconsidered for a future ballot, potentially in 2028.
Advocates for noncitizen voting argue it is a natural expansion of democratic participation, citing historical precedents of extending suffrage to various disenfranchised groups. Angelica Salas, head of a prominent immigrant rights coalition, dismissed concerns that the measure would increase immigration enforcement risks, saying immigrants are already targets.
As Los Angeles continues to grapple with how to best include its diverse population in local governance, officials stress the need for more extensive community engagement and clear parameters before moving forward with noncitizen voting rights.