Staten Island’s next borough president vowed to take the city to court to block a controversial measure that would allow non-citizens to vote in local elections.
Vito Fossella, who takes over as borough president in January, will challenge a bill sponsored by Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez (D-Manhattan) that would let non-citizens register in political parties and vote in city elections if they’re green-card holders or authorized to work in the country.
“One of the great privileges of being a citizen is the right to vote and as [borough president], I will initiate legal action to preserve the sanctity of the vote,” Fossella said this week.
The bill has a veto-proof majority lined up and is expected to be approved by the full Council on Thursday. More than 800,000 New Yorkers are currently covered under the legislation, including 622,000 green-card holders, according to city officials.
Federal and state elections are not covered under the bill.
“The qualifications for the right to vote are laid out clearly in our state Constitution. Extending that right to non-citizens is unconstitutional and simultaneously dilutes the votes of and devalues what it means to be a citizen,” Fossella added.
The former seven-term Republican congressman, who is making a political comeback more than a decade after a scandal derailed his career, said four other Republican elected officials have agreed to join him in any future legal fight.
Two of the four, Councilman Joe Borrelli and Councilman-elect David Carr, both of Staten Island, joined state GOP Chairman Nick Langworthy during a news conference Thursday to condemn the legislation.
Another pol, Councilwoman-elect Vickie Paladino (R-Queens) also expressed interest Friday in joining the legal fight.
Mayor Bill de Blasio has repeatedly expressed reservations about the bill, in part because he believes only state lawmakers have the authority to pass it. However, he’s said he won’t veto the bill.
Rodriguez told the Post Friday he’s confident his bill would prevail in any legal challenges, adding he believes both states and municipalities have the right to decide who votes in local races under federal law.
Council Speaker Corey Johnson, another Democrat, said he fully supports the measure.
“While other jurisdictions are suppressing voter participation, here in New York City we are expanding voter rights,” he said. This City Council is committed to uplifting our immigrant communities and giving them a voice in our local elections.”
