# You cannot vote unless you are an American citizen. **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 3, 2015, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cannot-vote-unless-you-are-an-american-citizen/736557 "2015-11-03T21:51:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2015, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cannot-vote-unless-you-are-an-american-citizen/736557/1 "2015-11-03T21:51:21Z")
One of my Facebook friends, a childhood friend who to be honest is probably slightly mentally challenged (she was always in special ed) is married to a man who is a permanent U.S. resident. He wanted to vote in today’s municipal election, and they wouldn’t let him. You’d think after having lived here 12 years, he would know that, but I guess it was the first time he had tried to do that. She just posted a diatribe on Facebook about how “It’s not for president anyway! He works and pays taxes here, and he should be able to vote like everyone else. The illegals get everything and they get to vote, don’t they?” (paraphrasing) Um, no, the illegals don’t get to vote either, unless the system is extremely corrupt. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2015, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cannot-vote-unless-you-are-an-american-citizen/736557/2 "2015-11-03T22:00:45Z")
She just added that “someone” told him he could vote. I’m not going to ask who that “someone” was, because I probably don’t want to know the answer. ---
**Author:** ![Malden\_Capell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malden_capell/32/5274_2.png) [@Malden\_Capell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malden_Capell)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2015, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cannot-vote-unless-you-are-an-american-citizen/736557/3 "2015-11-03T22:05:24Z")
In the UK, different types of people can vote for different things. European Union citizens resident in the UK can (IIRC) vote for anything apart from Members of Parliament itself - so European Parliament, local councils, and any devolved assemblies. Referendums depend on the enacting legislation for that vote. Commonwealth citizens and Republic of Ireland citizens can vote in general elections. Commonwealth citizens cannot vote for the European Parliament. Members of the House of Lords also cannot vote in general elections. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2015, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cannot-vote-unless-you-are-an-american-citizen/736557/4 "2015-11-03T22:10:38Z")
If he’s a permanent resident and has been living in te US for 12 years, then he should be able to become a US citizen, after filling in the right forms and paying a fee. (I lived in the US for 12 years and paid my taxes, but I couldn’t vote. What annoyed me was that I couldn’t vote in Australia either, even though I still owned a house in Australia.) ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2015, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cannot-vote-unless-you-are-an-american-citizen/736557/5 "2015-11-03T22:23:05Z")
There are a couple of states where noncitizen permanent residents can vote in municipal and county elections. Can’t remember what they are off the top of my head. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2015, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cannot-vote-unless-you-are-an-american-citizen/736557/6 "2015-11-03T22:24:21Z")
I don’t know where I fall on this issue exactly, but part of me thinks that if the guy wants to be a part of our democracy so badly, why is this is first time attempting to do so in 12 years? ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2015, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cannot-vote-unless-you-are-an-american-citizen/736557/7 "2015-11-03T22:38:22Z")
Yeah, in a lot of cases you actually can vote even if you’re not a US citizen. > **[Non-citizen suffrage in the United States](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_of_foreigners_to_vote_in_the_United_States)** > > The right of non-citizens to vote in the United States has historically been a contentious issue. Since 1997, the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 has prohibited non-citizens from voting in federal elections, with the threat of fines, imprisonment, inadmissibility and deportation. Exempt from punishment is any noncitizen who, at the time of voting, had two natural or adoptive U.S. citizen parents, who began permanently living in the United State Jamie Raskin, ... ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cannot-vote-unless-you-are-an-american-citizen/736557/8 "2015-11-04T15:04:46Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > Yeah, in a lot of cases you actually can vote even if you’re not a US citizen. Well yes, if you consider municipal elections in a few small suburbs in Maryland to be “a lot of cases”. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cannot-vote-unless-you-are-an-american-citizen/736557/9 "2015-11-04T15:16:30Z")
> [@GrandWino](#): > > I don’t know where I fall on this issue exactly, but part of me thinks that if the guy wants to be a part of our democracy so badly, why is this is first time attempting to do so in 12 years? I suspect this is the first time there has been a contentious municipal election wherever he lives. Or maybe he thought there was a 10 year residency requirement or something. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cannot-vote-unless-you-are-an-american-citizen/736557/10 "2015-11-04T17:47:06Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > If he’s a permanent resident and has been living in te US for 12 years, then he should be able to become a US citizen, after filling in the right forms and paying a fee. Yes, this is the point where he has to admit that he doesn’t want to be a citizen, he just wants all the benefits. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cannot-vote-unless-you-are-an-american-citizen/736557/11 "2015-11-04T18:18:19Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > Yes, this is the point where he has to admit that he doesn’t want to be a citizen, he just wants all the benefits. Well, let’s vote him out. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cannot-vote-unless-you-are-an-american-citizen/736557/12 "2015-11-04T18:22:42Z")
This happened to a friend of mine in Ontario. After voting in multiple elections he discovered one year that he was actually ineligible. I guess it depends on who you get at the registration table. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cannot-vote-unless-you-are-an-american-citizen/736557/13 "2015-11-04T19:48:48Z")
He’s allowed to call in to American Idol. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cannot-vote-unless-you-are-an-american-citizen/736557/14 "2015-11-04T20:06:10Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > Yes, this is the point where he has to admit that he doesn’t want to be a citizen, he just wants all the benefits. He does? I’ve lived here for 19 years and I’m not a citizen. It has nothing to do with not wanting the benefits, just that $700 is a lot of money when you’re paying off a mortgage and student loans and what not. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cannot-vote-unless-you-are-an-american-citizen/736557/15 "2015-11-04T20:13:56Z")
> [@Malden\_Capell](#): > > Members of the House of Lords also cannot vote in general elections. What is the reasoning behind that, Malden? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cannot-vote-unless-you-are-an-american-citizen/736557/16 "2015-11-04T20:17:32Z")
General elections in the UK are to select members of the House of Commons only. Lords are not entitled to serve or vote for the commons since they are (at least in theory) already represented in government. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cannot-vote-unless-you-are-an-american-citizen/736557/17 "2015-11-05T01:49:36Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > He does? I’ve lived here for 19 years and I’m not a citizen. It has nothing to do with not wanting the benefits, just that $700 is a lot of money when you’re paying off a mortgage and student loans and what not. Voting is the benefit that he wants. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cannot-vote-unless-you-are-an-american-citizen/736557/18 "2015-11-05T01:51:01Z")
Funny that once she heard that her legal alien husband can’t vote, she still thought illegal aliens can. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cannot-vote-unless-you-are-an-american-citizen/736557/19 "2015-11-05T02:22:18Z")
> [@Malden\_Capell](#): > > In the UK, different types of people can vote for different things… IIRC New Zealand allows permanent residents to vote in all elections, but only citizens can actually hold public office. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cannot-vote-unless-you-are-an-american-citizen/736557/20 "2015-11-05T03:11:07Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > One of my Facebook friends, a childhood friend who to be honest is probably slightly mentally challenged (she was always in special ed) is married to a man who is a permanent U.S. resident. He wanted to vote in today’s municipal election, and they wouldn’t let him. You’d think after having lived here 12 years, he would know that, but I guess it was the first time he had tried to do that. > > She just posted a diatribe on Facebook about how “It’s not for president anyway! He works and pays taxes here, and he should be able to vote like everyone else. The illegals get everything and they get to vote, don’t they?” (paraphrasing) > > Um, no, the illegals don’t get to vote either, unless the system is extremely corrupt. So, what is it you want to debate? It’s a fascinating story and all, but are you in favor of letting long time non-citizens vote or not? And why? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-cannot-vote-unless-you-are-an-american-citizen/736557.md?page=2)