GOP hails NYC voting law ruling
Judge: Unconstitutional for noncitizens to vote in local elections
State Republican leaders applauded a state Supreme Court justice’s decision Monday that could block noncitizens from voting in New York City elections beginning next year under a local law that the judge said violates the state’s constitution.
The case flowed from a challenge in Staten Island of the New York City Council’s decision in December to give local voting rights to people who are documented immigrants but have not attained legal citizenship. Republican critics of the law have suggested Democrats sought the measure to help bolster their election chances; the law was expected to add about 800,000 potential new voters.
State Democrats had not publicized any plans for similar actions in Albany, but more progressive policies sometimes first pass downstate prior to being tested statewide.
The state and national Republican committees, among other GOP officials, fought the case in court against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, stating the city’s move violated the state constitution, which requires citizenship to vote. The New York City law limited the documented immigrant voting to city elections, including mayor, City Council and other local races only.
State GOP Chairman Nick Langworthy quickly sent out a fundraising email blast with the subject line: “We stopped the radical non-citizen voter registration.”
“This is a huge victory for election integrity, citizen rights and the rule of law,” Langworthy said in the email. Langworthy is running for Congress in western New York and faces a challenger in the Republican primary, far-right conservative Carl Paladino.
“The RNC is proud to head a broad coalition in successfully challenging this unconstitutional scheme and will continue to lead the effort across the country to ensure only citizens can vote in America’s elections,” Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna Mcdaniel said in a statement.
State lawmakers who were party to the suit included Staten Island Republicans state Sen. Andrew Lanza, Assemblyman Michael Reilly and Assemblyman Michael Tannousis, who also represents parts of Brooklyn.
“This decision is a major win for democracy and election integrity in New York City,” Tannousis said in a statement. “The New York state constitution and the letter of the law could not be more clear — only citizens are permitted to vote in New York elections. As the son of immigrants that came to this country legally and worked tirelessly to become citizens, I consider voting to be a sacred right bestowed on American citizens. The idea that a person can move to New York City and register to vote after 30 days is preposterous and ripe for fraud.”
State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt called the decision, which is expected to face an appeal, a “massive victory for election integrity.”
“The Senate Republican Conference will always remain committed to upholding the integrity of our elections, upholding our constitution, and opposing hyper-partisan attacks on our democracy,” Ortt said.
Most Republican statements included a reference to “oneparty rule” in Albany and the need to win elections to bring balance to the statehouse, which has been the primary campaign point from that party this election season.
Candidates running in impending primaries or November’s election also seized on the ruling.
U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin, a GOP gubernatorial contender, issued a statement saying that the right to vote belongs to U.S. citizens “and no one else!”
“I’m honored to stand shoulder to shoulder with the leaders across our state who stood up for election integrity and the rule of law to put an end to it,” Zeldin, a Long Island Republican, said in the campaign statement released a day ahead of the gubernatorial primary.
“This is another major blow to Albany and Washington Democrats following New York state’s highest court striking down their illegal gerrymandering plans earlier this year,” Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro said in a statement. Molinaro, a Republican, is running for Congress in a swing Hudson Valley district.
Democratic state officials had a more muted reaction to the decision, which is focused exclusively on New York City.
Assemblywoman Yuhline Niou, D -Manhattan, who is running for Congress, accused Republicans of “venue shopping” to find a judge whose interpretations of the law may align with their own.
“This is another example of the GOP playing politics with peoples’ lives — in this case nearly a million New Yorkers who have built futures for themselves and are impacted every day by the decisions of local elected officials,” she said in a statement. “At a time when voting rights are already under sustained attack nationwide, this decision is a major blow to our community . ... Our undocumented communities deserve better from a state that claims to support the core values of representation and inclusion.”