New York’s Proposition 1 allows noncitizens to vote

New York Democrats have fallen short in legalizing noncitizen voting, but may achieve their goal by passing Proposition 1 on the Nov. 5 ballot.

The Equal Rights Amendment, which is written deceptively, does not safeguard women or abortion rights, but gives lawmakers the authority to disregard the current language of the state Constitution in order to protect new rights it would establish.

It is important to note that abortion rights are not at risk in New York.

However, citizenship and voting rights are indeed under threat.

A law passed by the New York City Council in 2021 to allow 800,000 non-citizens with green cards to vote was blocked by the courts due to Article II, Section 1 of the state Constitution, which limits voting in New York to US citizens who are 18 or older and have resided in the state for at least 30 days.

Prop 1 would eliminate that protection by introducing a range of new rights, including a provision that prohibits discrimination based on national origin.

This offers left-leaning judges the opportunity to potentially endorse a law that permits even illegal immigrants to vote, or to assert that they have that right even without legislative action.

Despite the objections of Gov. Hochul, progressives have already established a dominant left-wing majority on the state’s top bench, the Court of Appeals.

Constitutional lawyer Bobbi Anne Cox has warned that Prop 1 is “a Trojan horse of epic proportions.”

If the intention was truly about protecting abortion rights, the amendment would simply state something like, “The right to abortion is absolute.”

Instead, it prohibits “unequal treatment” based on various categories, and then permits unequal treatment if it addresses past injustices.

These categories include “sexual orientation” and “gender identity,” along with “national origin,” implying that the courts may enforce the most extreme interpretation of “transgender rights” if the amendment passes.

Additionally, the amendment would enable practices such as racial quotas in public-school and university admissions, all in the name of promoting “equity.”

A more appropriate name for it would be “The Unequal Rights Amendment.”

In summary, Proposition 1 is a dishonest attempt to exploit New Yorkers’ support for choice in order to empower the extreme left that currently controls state politics to enforce its agenda permanently, with no further opportunity for voters to object. 

If you have no other reason to vote, make the effort to reject Prop 1.