A proposal introduced by Los Angeles City Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez would ask voters to grant the City Council authority to allow noncitizens to vote in local elections, including races for mayor, City Council, and the Los Angeles Board of Education.

Soto-Martínez, who represents a district spanning Echo Park to Hollywood, released the proposal on Wednesday.

If advanced, the measure would be placed before voters in the Nov. 3 election.

The proposal must first receive approval from the City Council to appear on the ballot.

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If voters approve the measure, the council would then need to pass an ordinance revising city election laws to implement the change.

The proposal has been signed by Councilmember Ysabel Jurado and is scheduled to move to the council’s rules committee for consideration.

Soto-Martínez said the measure is intended to address concerns within immigrant communities.

He referenced his own family background while explaining the proposal.

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“After my parents immigrated here from Mexico, they worked hard, paid taxes, and raised their kids in our public schools, but for decades they had no say in the decisions shaping their community until they became citizens,” Soto-Martínez said.

Opposition to the proposal has also been voiced.

Ira Mehlman, a spokesperson for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, said the organization would challenge the measure if it moves forward.

Mehlman said the proposal “undermines the whole concept of citizenship, and what it means to be a member of American society.”

He added that local governments should not extend voting rights beyond citizens.

Mehlman said Los Angeles should not allow individuals to “just show up from the outside and have an equal voice in how the city is run.”

“That is a privilege and a right that is reserved for citizens,” he said.

The proposal is being considered amid ongoing discussions about voting rights and immigration policy at the local level.

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Similar efforts have been attempted in other jurisdictions.

In New York City, a comparable measure was passed but later struck down by the state supreme court.

In California, some cities have moved forward with limited noncitizen voting rights.

San Francisco has allowed noncitizens to vote in school board elections.

Oakland voters approved a similar measure in 2022, though it has not yet been implemented, according to Ballotpedia.

In contrast, voters in Santa Ana rejected a proposal in 2024 that would have allowed noncitizens to participate in local elections.

Within Los Angeles, the proposal has drawn attention from other candidates and officials.

Dylan Kendall, who is running against Soto-Martínez for his council seat, said she opposes the proposal.

Kendall cited concerns about potential consequences for individuals who are not citizens.

Kendall said she believes the measure could expose individuals to additional scrutiny.

“[Kendall] said she fears it would lead to the creation of ‘a new government list of noncitizen voters at the very moment Trump’s ICE brigade is looking for more ways to track, target, and kidnap undocumented people.’”

She added, “What he’s proposing now sounds less like protecting our community and more like asking people to sign onto a public list that exposes undocumented neighbors to greater danger.”

The proposal has also received support from some local officials and candidates. Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, who represents the Eastside, has expressed backing for the idea while seeking reelection.

In a separate race to replace Councilmember Curren Price in South Los Angeles, several candidates have also indicated support for extending voting rights to noncitizens.

Those candidates include community organizer Estuardo Mazariegos, council aide Jose Ugarte, and education nonprofit director Elmer Roldan.

Deputy Attorney General Marissa Roy, who is running to unseat City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto, has also addressed the issue.

In a questionnaire submitted to the Democratic Socialists of America, Roy stated her position on the matter.

“While the City Council or County Board of Supervisors would need to pass this legislation, as City Attorney, I would make sure that immigrants voting in local elections are protected from the federal government,” she wrote.

The proposal remains in the early stages of the legislative process and will undergo committee review before any potential vote by the full council.

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