WORCESTER, Mass. - A city councilor is looking into the possibility of allowing all legal Worcester residents the ability to vote locally. 

Councilor Sarai Rivera said any legal resident, who isn’t naturalized yet, should still be able to vote in local elections.

At the start of 2022, 15 municipalities in the U.S., including New York City and San Francisco allow non-citizens to vote in local elections.

Rivera said many non-citizens are homeowners, business owners, and have kids in the school district, so they should have a say in what happens in their community. 

“There is a process for naturalization. Especially if you’re an asylum seeker or refugee. There is a process to that,” Rivera said. “You’re talking about people who have gone through a very extensive vetted process to have their legal documentation. That’s not easy. Once they do that, it’s another process that takes years. Meanwhile, they’re working, paying taxes, investing in local community, and participating. So why not give them a say?”

Rivera said it could boost voter turnout and said many people who aren’t allowed to vote want to.