Where are noncitizens allowed to vote in the US?

New York City councilmembers voted this past Thursday to allow legal noncitizens to vote in local elections, but it is not the first municipality in the U.S. to enact similar measures.

While New York City is the largest city to do so — with nearly 800,000 additional city residents now eligible to vote — 14 smaller U.S. jurisdictions have similar laws allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections.

Most of those jurisdictions are located in Maryland, a blue state led by a Republican governor. The state's constitution authorizes municipalities to allow people outside those qualifications to vote without state approval.

Maryland's municipalities that allow certain noncitizens to vote include Barnesville, Cheverly, Chevy Chase Section 3, Garrett Park, Glen Echo, Hyattsville, Martin’s Additions, Mount Rainier, Riverdale Park, Somerset and Takoma Park. The 11 locales are in close proximity to Washington, D.C.

There are also two municipalities in Vermont that allow noncitizens to vote. Lawmakers in Winooski and Montpelier enacted measures in 2021 allowing legal noncitizens to vote in city elections despite Republican Gov. Phil Scott's attempts to veto the legislation.