LA'S Socialist City Council Tries to Grant Voting Rights to Illegal Aliens

LOS ANGELES - Amid swirling questions about the integrity of the June 2, 2026, primary election, the Los Angeles City Council voted 10-5 on Wednesday to place a charter amendment on the November 3, 2026, ballot that could open the door for noncitizen residents to vote in future city and Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) elections.

The proposal, sponsored by Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez, does not immediately authorize noncitizen voting. Instead, it would amend the city charter to give the council and mayor authority to develop and implement such a program later through ordinance, with an emphasis on safeguards and legal protections.

Supporters, including Soto-Martínez, argue the measure promotes fairness for long-term noncitizen residents who pay taxes and contribute to the community but currently lack a voice in local decisions affecting their daily lives. They point to precedents in places like San Francisco and Oakland, where limited noncitizen voting in school board elections has been approved by voters.

Critics contend the move dilutes the value of citizenship and raises serious concerns about election integrity, especially given the timing. The June 2 primary, which advanced candidates including incumbent Mayor Karen Bass to a November runoff against Councilmember Nithya Raman, has faced unspecified questions about its processes.

The vote comes against a backdrop of deep public skepticism toward Los Angeles City Hall, long plagued by corruption scandals. Over the past 15 years, several current and former council members have faced serious federal or local charges:

José Huizar: Convicted and sentenced in a major pay-to-play bribery scheme involving real estate developers, pleading guilty to racketeering and tax charges.

Mitch Englander: Convicted of obstructing a federal corruption probe.

Mark Ridley-Thomas: Convicted of bribery and fraud related to benefits for his son.

Curren Price: Charged with embezzlement, perjury, and conflict of interest involving contracts benefiting his wife's business.

These cases have fueled ongoing perceptions of a culture of self-dealing at City Hall, with critics questioning whether expanding the electorate to include noncitizens-without robust verification mechanisms-could exacerbate vulnerabilities in an already scrutinized system.

The noncitizen voting measure is part of a broader package of charter reforms heading to voters in November. A separate proposal to expand the council to 25 members was sidelined for further study.

If approved by voters, implementation details-including eligibility (potentially limited to parents or guardians of school-age children, as in other cities), voter registration safeguards, and enforcement-would be developed later. Opponents have highlighted the irony of the measure appearing alongside a statewide voter ID proposal on the same ballot.

The November election will ultimately decide the fate of the charter amendment, as Los Angeles voters weigh local representation against longstanding concerns over governance and election security.