In a split ruling, a midlevel appeals court in Brooklyn issued a split decision finding that a recently passed local law allowing people who are not U.S. citizens to vote in New York City elections violates the New York constitution and the state’s municipal home rule law.
The majority of a panel from the Appellate Division, Second Department affirmed a Staten Island trial judge’s ruling on New York City’s Local Law No. 11, finding that, under the law, “eligible municipal voters shall have the right to vote in municipal elections and shall be entitled to the same rights and privileges as U.S. citizen voters with regard to municipal elections,” Justice Paul Wooten wrote for the majority of a four-judge Second Department panel.
