Los Angeles voters could soon decide whether noncitizens should have a path to voting in city and school board elections.
The City Council voted 10-5 Thursday to advance one of the most controversial proposals in a sweeping Charter reform package headed for the November ballot.
The measure, introduced by Councilmembers Hugo Soto-Martínez, will give immigrants who live, work, pay taxes and raise families in Los Angeles a voice in decisions that directly affect their lives.
“It just does not make sense to me that someone who moves to Los Angeles for a temporary job has more of a voice than a parent who has been here for decades raising their children through public schools,” Soto-Martínez said during Thursday’s debate.
Opponents argued the proposal is moving forward before city leaders know whether it can actually be implemented.
Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez questioned how Los Angeles could create a noncitizen voting program when the city’s elections are administered by Los Angeles County.
She warned the proposal could require a separate election process and create new costs that have not yet been studied.
“I don’t even know that the county has actually been consulted in their ability to implement such a concept,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez also cautioned that city leaders could be making promises they are not yet able to keep.
“I have apprehension of making false promises that give the suggestion that we’re able to advance something without even further vetting the ability to implement this,” Rodriguez said.
“I don’t want to pretend that people are going to take away from this that this is going to be available to them, and it’s not, because it’s not been baked out.”
During the debate, city officials acknowledged there is currently no framework in place for noncitizen voting and confirmed substantial work would still be required before any program could be created.
Officials said Los Angeles would likely need to take over administration of its own elections if such a system were eventually adopted.
The measure now moves forward as part of the larger Charter reform package expected to appear before voters in November 2026.
The noncitizen voting proposal was not the only high-profile measure advanced by city leaders.
Council members also voted to move forward with a separate Charter amendment that would give the City Council greater authority over the Los Angeles Police Commission, including the ability to override certain commission actions.
The Council also voted to place a Charter amendment championed by Rodriguez that would double the city’s minimum funding commitment for parks over the next decade.
Rodriguez called the measure a “monumental win” for neighborhoods and families, noting Los Angeles ranked 93rd out of the nation’s 100 largest cities in the latest Trust for Public Land ParkScore rankings.
The City Attorney will now draft language for the proposed ballot measures, which must then be approved by the City Council before going before voters.