There are over 13 million legal permanent residents in the United States and an estimated 10 to 12 million undocumented immigrants. Millions of parents, workers, seniors, and community leaders are being denied the right to vote simply because they are not legal citizens of the United States.
In 1701, South Carolina allowed French Huguenots to vote, and in 1704 the South Carolina Assembly passed a law that allowed voting by noncitizens (aliens).
Since 1968, non-citizens in New York City who are parents of children enrolled in school, can vote and run in community school board elections. The city of Chicago has a similar provision.
Over a 150 year period in the United States, 22 states and territories provided a legal framework for white male noncitizens (aliens) to vote. In some instances, noncitizens simply had to declare their intent to become a citizen in order to vote in local, state, and federal elections.
In the 1800's, Congress extended the right to vote to noncitizens in Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and Illinois.
In Takoma Park, Maryland, all residents 16 and older, regardless of their legal status, can vote and run for office. This was adopted in 1992.
The U.S. Constitution does not forbid states from granting the right to vote to noncitizens and Article I reserves the right of states to enfranchise noncitizens to vote.
North Dakota is the only state that does not require citizens to register to vote prior to an election. In 1951, North Dakota repealed the mandatory voter registration requirement in part because it was "too cumbersome."
