legal immigrants to vote in maine?

[Amby 490]

As Arizona tries to make illegal immigrants a little more uncomfortable, residents in Portland, Maine are trying to make legal immigrants more comfortable.

“Legal immigrants are an important part of our community,” says Will Everitt as he walks down Congress Street, just a block from City Hall. “They contribute a lot.”

Everitt is from the Maine League of Young Voters, a group that's sponsoring a ballot initiative to give non-citizen legal immigrants the right to vote in Portland City elections. . “They're sending their kids to our schools,” he says. “And they should be able to have a right to vote for say the school committee.”

Portland is a city of 65,000 and currently has about 10,000 legal non-citizen immigrants, mostly from African nations like Somalia. .

One of the petition-signers is Alfred Jacob, who came to Maine from the Sudan in the mid-90’s. For eight and a half years he worked jobs and paid taxes but had no say in how Portland city government spent his tax money. “I had no say whatsoever,” he said earlier this week as he walked past the sites of some of his former jobs including a restaurant and a museum. “I was not part of the process at all.”

Everitt calls that a blatant case of taxation without representation and he says it's clearly not fair. “It's not fair because these people are here legally,” he says. “They're living in our community…and they should have a say in how their tax dollars are being spent.” . He says the whole point of the initiative is to make Portland more democratic.

Anti-immigration activists contend it will make it less so. . “It devalues democracy,” says Bob Dane. “And in a way, it's watering down the very thing immigrants want the most, and that is the gift of American citizenship. "

Dane is from the Federation for Immigration Reform, which wants to limit, not expand immigrant rights.

“Handing out instantaneous voting rights,” says Dane, “to people who still have not taken the requisite citizenship exam, is really just demeaning citizenship and it's setting us back.”

Everitt disagrees. “I think this is all about democracy, “ he says. “This is about diversity and I think diversity equals democracy.”

Everitt is also proud Portland may buck the anti-immigration trend this year, “I think it's a chance for Maine to be a counter-point to what's going on in Arizona.”

http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/08/27/maine-ballot-initiative-seeks-extend-vote-legal-immigrants?test=latestnews#ixzz0xpBngvtR

[TBoneTX 45,522]

In one way, this is a noble idea, si man, but not so much (or at all) if it's meant to counteract what Arizona is doing, no man. There may be alternative ways in which the community can show its appreciation to LPRs.

I haven't rechecked the rules lately, but I seem to remember that it's OK for LEGAL residents to vote in local (or non-Federal) elections. However, I wouldn't want Mrs. T-B. to do this until she's a USC. Fortunately, she has no interest in politics that would impel her to want to vote, no man.

I wonder how many driver's-license places unknowingly offer voter registration to LPRs when the LPRs get their first driver's license? That's a recipe for potential disaster, si man.

Regardless of the outcome in Portland, plenty of illegals will end up voting in November, whether through amnesty or fraud, sigh man.

[HAL 9000 96]

Local stuff that impacts an LPRs day to day life? Sure, why not.

For this to be national, though... things would be much better with a National ID. I don't think LPRs should be voting nationally though.

[Ban Hammer 13,403]

In one way, this is a noble idea, si man, but not so much (or at all) if it's meant to counteract what Arizona is doing, no man. There may be alternative ways in which the community can show its appreciation to LPRs.

I haven't rechecked the rules lately, but I seem to remember that it's OK for LEGAL residents to vote in local (or non-Federal) elections. However, I wouldn't want Mrs. T-B. to do this until she's a USC. Fortunately, she has no interest in politics that would impel her to want to vote, no man.

that's been my understanding of it for a while too - maybe maine is just now catching up to the rest of the states.

[TBoneTX 45,522]

maybe maine is just now catching up to the rest of the states.

Maine is the only U.S. state with a monosyllabic name, si man, so they need more up-catching than just in voting. To parrot a famous quote: "Polly want a syllable?"

[Dan J 277]

In one way, this is a noble idea, si man, but not so much (or at all) if it's meant to counteract what Arizona is doing, no man. There may be alternative ways in which the community can show its appreciation to LPRs.

I haven't rechecked the rules lately, but I seem to remember that it's OK for LEGAL residents to vote in local (or non-Federal) elections. However, I wouldn't want Mrs. T-B. to do this until she's a USC. Fortunately, she has no interest in politics that would impel her to want to vote, no man.

I wonder how many driver's-license places unknowingly offer voter registration to LPRs when the LPRs get their first driver's license? That's a recipe for potential disaster, si man.

Regardless of the outcome in Portland, plenty of illegals will end up voting in November, whether through amnesty or fraud, sigh man.

There are a few places that allow LPR's to vote in local elections, but not very many. There is no federal law preventing localities from enabling LPR's to vote in local elections.

[BobandXiaomei 14]

that's been my understanding of it for a while too - maybe maine is just now catching up to the rest of the states.

Ditto. My understanding as well. Local and state elections are governed by same.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Legal US residents can vote in local and even state elections at the discretion of the local/state voters who choose to allow it. No big deal. The requirement of "citizens only" is, and always has been, applicable ONLY to federal elections. Alla has voted several times in local elections since receiving her green card. I am surprised, kind of, that Portland hasn't allowed it before now. The requirement here is that you be legally present in the US and prove you are a resident of the town, school district, whatever, to vote. Alla can show her green card and a utility bill and receive a ballot.

The "problem" comes in when we combine state elections (for Governor for example) with Federal elections, such as this fall when we will vote for state offices AND federal offices on the same ballot. Then she cannot vote. This often means she can vote in local elections only. For most people, LOCAL elections have the greatest impact on your lives and wallet, so get out there and vote!

Maine is the only U.S. state with a monosyllabic name, si man, so they need more up-catching than just in voting. To parrot a famous quote: "Polly want a syllable?"

What about "Mass" ?

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Also, just for the record, this has nothing to do with Arizona or illegal aliens. Anyone attempting to make any such connection is only revealing their ignorance of immigration and US residency privileges. In fact, it is hardly "news" that legal residents are allowed to vote in local and state elections, unless this reporter is just catching up on news from 1789.