LD 1195 Testimony
May 4, 2009 -
Senator Sullivan, Representative Trinward and esteemed members of the Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee, my name is Justin Alfond. I am a resident of Portland and today I am pleased to appear before you as the sponsor of L.D. 1195, "An Act to Allow Noncitizen Residents to Vote in Municipal Elections."
All of us here are descendants of immigrants. Do you know your family’s history? Whether your family roots go back one or dozens of generations, our nation is founded on the diverse melting pot that they created. That legacy continues and, throughout Maine, thousands of legal noncitizens, like your ancestors, come here to establish new roots.
My mother’s side of the family immigrated to the United States in 1945 from Holland, and the proverbial ink has barely dried on that side of my family tree. Yet, no one questions my family’s voting rights or how they gained them.
I did not grow up in a political family. I had no idea how my parents voted, and my parents and I did not have a memorable talk when I became eligible to vote. When I was in my early twenties, I voted only in Presidential elections; local and community issues were not even a blip on my radar screen.
Upon my return to Maine in 2003, I wanted to become more involved in my new community of Portland. However, I truly did not know where to start, so I volunteered at Preble Street Resource Center and started attending any community meeting I could. When I noticed a lack of young people at these meetings, I established the Maine League of Young Voters. My four years of leading the League changed my life and that of thousands of others. Today, I know that I will never miss a vote again, nor will I feel uneducated about what’s on the ballot.
My point is this: I was born privileged enough to have the right to vote but not use it; I had to work hard to understand the importance of exercising that right. Ironically, most noncitizens, like the ones you will hear testifying today, are already incredibly involved in their communities but are unable to share that same freedom.
Enfranchising every legal resident to vote within the legal limit is my world view. Uniting all people in our community is something I have pushed for outside of this office, and I will continue to push for here in Augusta. I stand before you today because I know that it is right for Maine to be inclusive and fair.
Immigrants in this country, Maine included, are the social fabric of our community and crucial to our economic future. This is even truer today in a recession. We need everyone working together; it is time to ensure that our noncitizen friends, neighbors and community leaders are treated as equals in our local communities.
LD 1195 seeks to address a disparity that is often either not thought of or quickly disregarded. Maine has an increasingly diverse population coming from all over the globe to live “the way life should be.” Immigrants live in our communities, their children go to our schools, they serve in our military, they work hard and pay taxes like the rest of us.
This bill would allow municipalities, at their discretion, the option of granting noncitizens the right to vote in municipal elections. It is entirely elective, and no community would be forced to allow noncitizen voting.
I'll be the first to admit, this bill has generated emotion and heated discussion across the board, from joy, to curiosity, to opposition. Here I will dispel some common concerns and myths that have been shared with me:
- Many say, "Just become a citizen!" The people who follow me in testifying today will outline the process it takes to become a citizen. Today you will hear testimony from a representative of the Maine Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project on the process of becoming a United States Citizen.
- Others say, “This is unconstitutional!” I leave this to the expertise of the Secretary of State and Attorney General, who will each testify today.
- Others have said, "They haven't earned the right to vote," or, "They should vote in their home countries." Today, you will hear from many new Mainers who will share their incredible contributions as business owners, workers, professors and so much more. Additionally, you will hear the testimony of a leading political science expert, book author and co-founder of a coalition on expanding voting rights.
- Some say that immigrants have plenty of other ways to get involved in our communities. Some say they should learn our culture, learn our language, learn our political system, and then get the right to vote. Today you will hear from countless immigrants on how they are engaged in our communities, learn of the current barriers to being involved, and see that without a vote comes disenfranchisement.
- I have heard some argue that by extending the right to vote in municipal elections to noncitizens, we would somehow cheapen the status of United States citizenship. Instead, I contend that this bill enriches our democracy and returns us to our founding principles.
- Some municipal clerks feel that this process will be expensive, confusing, and hard to process. The Secretary of State looks forward to answering these questions.
- I have heard that out-of-state voters or Mainers with second homes or businesses have complained that they would also like to vote in every community in which they pay property taxes. The bottom line is, everyone has one vote, and that vote is cast where you have permanent residency.
The bigger issue of immigration reform for both documented and undocumented residents is a discussion to be had on the federal level, and not one I am interested in having here.
I did not get elected to side-step big issues occurring in Maine, even when an issue brings in an avalanche of emails, phone calls and letters. The hate mail and calls have been eye opening, but my family and I will be okay. I bring this bill to you because I will not remain neutral or silent in the face of human injustice.
I’d like to thank all of the co-signers of this bill, from the St. John Valley to southern Maine; there has been an outpouring of understanding from my colleagues on how much immigrants contribute to our society.
In summary, this bill would simply give municipalities the right to decide who is allowed to participate in their own elections. I would like to urge the committee to vote "Ought to Pass" on LD 1195, and thank you for your time.
