Sponsors (15)
The bill trades expanded local participation by noncitizen residents for a restored citizen-only voting regime that reduces legal uncertainty and some administrative costs but disenfranchises noncitizen residents and may disrupt administration during the transition.
D.C. residents who are U.S. citizens: the bill ensures only citizens can cast ballots in local elections and ballot measures, clarifying voter eligibility.
Local governments and election officials: the bill restores the prior legal framework and reduces legal uncertainty, lowering litigation risk and some administrative costs tied to the 2022 change.
Election administration: by clarifying who is eligible to vote in D.C. contests, the bill can simplify maintenance of voter rolls and some aspects of election administration.
Noncitizen residents (including lawful permanent residents and long-term immigrants): the bill removes or prevents ability to vote in local elections on laws that affect their daily lives.
Local policy-making and services: policies may be set without input from noncitizen taxpayers and residents who are nevertheless affected by those decisions, reducing representation for those populations.
Administrative costs and voter risk: implementing citizenship checks or reverting rules could create legal/administrative costs and raise the risk of disenfranchisement errors for eligible voters.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Repeals D.C.'s 2022 noncitizen voting law and makes it unlawful for non-U.S. citizens to vote in District of Columbia local elections.
Makes it unlawful for any person who is not a U.S. citizen to vote in District of Columbia elections, including votes for public office and on ballot initiatives or referenda. It also repeals the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022 and restores the prior D.C. statutory law as if the 2022 law had never been enacted. The bill removes the legal basis that allowed noncitizen residents to participate in D.C. local elections and revives the earlier legal regime that limited voting in District elections to U.S. citizens.
Official title: To prohibit individuals who are not citizens of the United States from voting in elections in the District of Columbia and to repeal the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022.
Introduced January 31, 2025 by August Pfluger · Last progress June 11, 2025