Vote YES on Measure 26-231: Multnomah County
Extending Voting Rights to Noncitizens
This November, Multnomah County voters will have an important opportunity to expand democracy by directing the county to extend voting rights to county residents who are not citizens. Every resident in our community, including immigrants, is impacted by county decisions and should have a voice in our future.
What is “noncitizen voting”?
Extending voting rights to Multnomah County residents who are not citizens is an important way to give community members a voice in how our county operates, no matter where they were born. Noncitizen voting means that immigrants who are not naturalized U.S. citizens would have the opportunity to participate as voters in elections. All voters, regardless of citizenship, must be over 18 years of age and be a resident of the county.
Why should we pass the noncitizen voting amendment?
No matter where we are born, we all should have a voice in the community we call home. Voting is one of the most important tools to make our voices heard. Community members who are not citizens bring a diversity of perspectives that will help us address our community’s challenges and find policy solutions that work for all of us. We all want the best for our families and our futures, and voting is a path to create a stronger county. Immigrants who live here, send children to school here, and work and own businesses here contribute immensely to our county and deserve a voice.
What elections would this include?
Voting rights would only apply in Multnomah County. This amendment would apply only to the right to vote in elections for county officers (chair, commissioner, sheriff, and auditor) and on county measures (ballot initiatives, referenda, or referrals of county ordinances or charter amendments).
What does the proposed noncitizen voting amendment say?
The language of the charter amendment reads, “The county shall extend the right to vote, including but not limited to extending the right to vote to noncitizens, in elections for county officers and on county measures, to the fullest extent allowed by law.”
The language is designed to be as inclusive as possible and recognize that immigrants deserve equal pathways for civic engagement. You can learn more, including a summary of the measure and an explanatory statement, about the measure at the Multnomah County Charter Committee’s website here.
What does the proposed noncitizen voting amendment do?
According to the Multnomah County Charter Committee, if this measure is passed by voters, the committee expects the county to explore legal options for extending the vote, including to noncitizens. If it turns out that there are not currently pathways for extending the vote, the committee recommends that the county actively advocate for changing state and federal policies to allow for the extension of the vote, including to noncitizens.
Who supports this measure?
This measure has been endorsed by the following organizations:
ACLU of Oregon
Adelante Mujeres
APANO (Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon)
Center for Migration, Gender, and Justice
Coalition of Communities of Color
IRCO (Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization)
Latino Network
Next Up
Oregon Food Bank
Oregon Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice
Verde
Multnomah County Commissioner Susheela Jayapal
What is the Multnomah County Charter Committee and how did we get here?
The Multnomah County Charter Committee is composed of 17 volunteers and convenes every six years to review the county charter (equivalent to the county’s constitution) and make recommendations for changes to be referred to voters. After extensive research and community engagement, the committee voted unanimously to recommend expanding voting rights to noncitizens. Other measures, such as ranked choice voting, will also be on the ballot. It was officially recommended on July 5; later that month, the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners then voted to refer these measures to county voters. Learn more about the committee and its work in its final report here.
If you are eligible, be sure you are registered to vote and that your voter registration is up to date here!