Now, non-citizens to vote in local elections in New York City, lawmakers pass bill

The New York City Council has passed a legislation granting voting rights to hundreds of thousands of lawful non-citizens, allowing a previously disenfranchised sector of the city's taxpayers to participate in the democratic process.

With the assistance of a number of advocacy groups, the motion was easily adopted by the City Council, who argued that New York's lawful permanent residents have the right to vote on who runs the city and how their tax dollars are spent.

If the law is passed and survives court challenges, New York City would become the largest jurisdiction in the United States to allow noncitizen voting.

Noncitizens would still be denied the right to vote in state and federal elections. 

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The city of New York has a large immigrant population.

Approximately 900,000 of the city's 7 million adult population are voting-age, lawful permanent residents.

As a result of the legislation, hundreds of thousands of those residents would be able to vote in municipal elections, including the nationally significant mayoral contest.

Noncitizen residents who have lived in the city for at least 30 days, including green card holders, DACA recipients, and those who are lawfully authorised to work in the country, are covered by the voting rights statute. 

(With inputs from agencies)