Senator Andrew Lanza Brings Lawsuit To Stop Non-Citizen Voting

Contact: Anthony Reinhart, Deputy Chief of Staff (718) 984-4073 / reinhart@nysenate.gov

Lanza and Assemblyman Michael Reilly introduce legislation to enhance election safeguards by ensuring only American citizens have the right to vote

Lanza and Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt call on Attorney General Leticia James to file a lawsuit against the City of New York in defense of the State Constitution and New York State citizen’s fundamental right to vote

Staten Island, New York – New York Senate Deputy Minority Leader Andrew Lanza has followed through on his commitment to file a lawsuit against the City of New York to stop the recently enacted law that would give voting access to nearly 800,000 non-citizens.

The New York City Council recently passed a bill that would allow non-citizens to vote in local elections. In doing so, the City Council has displayed a blatant disregard for our Constitution and for American citizens who value their sacred right to participate in our democracy.

Said Senator Andrew J. Lanza, "This bill clearly violates the Constitution, diminishes citizenship and is no doubt intended to steal elections from lawful citizen voters.”

The lawsuit, filed in Richmond County, is being advanced by Senator Andrew Lanza along with The Republican National Committee (RNC), The New York Republican State Committee, City Council Minority Leader Joseph Borelli, Borough President Vito Fossella, Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis, Assemblyman Members Michael Reilly and Michael Tannousis, Council Members David Carr, JoAnn Ariola, and Vickie Paladino, New York State GOP Chairman Nicholas Langworthy, New York State Conservative Party Chairman Gerard Kassar, and local residents.

Additionally, Senator Andrew Lanza has joined Assembly Member Michael Reilly to introduce legislation that will enhance election safeguards by ensuring that only American citizens have the right to register to vote.

In order to ensure that the right to vote is a right bestowed solely to Citizens, Senate Bill 7596/Assembly Bill 8530 has been introduced. This legislation will ensure that only citizens of the United States are eligible to vote in State and local elections. Specifically, it will ensure that no person shall have their right to register for or vote at any election abridged by a county, city, town, or village through any action, including, but not limited to, any amendment of a municipal charter or passage of any local law.

Senator Lanza said, “An attempt to give noncitizens the right to vote is a slap in the face to every law-abiding American citizen who values their sacred right to participate in our democracy, and is the latest attempt by New York Democrats to destroy the sanctity of our elections for their own political purposes. I remain committed to upholding the integrity of our elections, upholding our Constitution, and opposing hyper-partisan attacks on our democracy.”

In addition to the filed lawsuit and the newly introduced legislation, Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt has joined Senate Deputy Minority Leader Lanza in calling on Attorney General Leticia James to file a lawsuit against the City of New York in defense of the State Constitution and New York State citizen’s fundamental right to vote. Section one of Article II of the New York State Constitution extends the right to vote to citizens that are 18 years or older and are residents of the state, and of the county, city, or village for 30 days preceding an election.  Additionally, section five of Article II states “laws shall be made for ascertaining, by proper proofs, the citizens who shall be entitled to the right of suffrage hereby established…”