Non-citizens voted in U.S. elections for over 150 years.

From the founding until the early 1900s, 22 states and federal territories allowed it to encourage settlement. It was part of the American political tradition. Today, over 45 countries permit some form of non-citizen voting. All European Union members allow other EU nationals to vote in local elections. Countries like Sweden, Norway, and New Zealand extend this right to all foreign residents after short residency periods (often 3 years). The push is primarily for local elections (school boards, city councils), where policies directly affect daily life. Over 15 U.S. municipalities currently allow it, including cities in Maryland, Vermont, and California. San Francisco allows non-citizen parents to vote in school board elections. Scale of the Affected Population: In the U.S., there are roughly 23 million lawfully present non-citizens. Many are long-term green card holders; the naturalization backlog often means a 10-15 year wait for citizenship. This creates a large, integrated population without political representation where they live and pay taxes.