Non-Citizen Registration Concerns Raised in New York City

In a recent undercover video, a New York City Board of Elections official stated that it wasn’t his responsibility to report anyone attempting to register as a non-citizen. This revelation came from a project by Muckraker, where a reporter impersonated a non-citizen, highlighting how officials might process such applications.

The official noted that “sometimes people would come here and register, but they were not citizens.” In a follow-up, when the reporter claimed to be a Canadian green card holder, he was informed that citizenship was a requirement for registration.

Ohio’s Discovery of Non-Citizen Voter Registrations

Meanwhile, in Ohio, more than 1,000 individuals identified as non-citizens were “likely” registered to vote, prompting authorities to escalate the matter to the Justice Department for further investigation and potential prosecution.

The New York official discouraged individuals from submitting applications if they weren’t citizens, mentioning that “we cannot stop people from submitting applications.” He acknowledged past “legal situations” where non-citizens tried to register.

If someone insisted on filling out the application, he offered limited guidance, indicating that it was their decision: “I can’t tell you what to do. If you want to fill it out, fill it out.” He emphasized the clear statement within the application regarding citizenship, cautioning about legal ramifications if falsified submissions were discovered.

Upon questioning whether he would report non-citizens after submission, the official confirmed that no one would. “It’s not my job to report to anyone,” he added, “My role is to collect applications and submit them.”

New York law explicitly prohibits non-citizens from registering to vote. Additionally, a previous attempt to permit non-citizen voting in municipal elections was deemed unconstitutional last year.