North Country Leader

New York State Senator Mark Walczyk expressed approval following a recent decision by New York's highest court, which invalidated a law permitting noncitizens to vote in New York City elections. This law would have allowed over 800,000 noncitizens to participate in key municipal elections but faced opposition from Republican leaders, including former New York City Council Minority Leader Joe Borelli. The court ruled 6-1 that the state constitution clearly limits voting rights to U.S. citizens.

Senator Walczyk commented on the ruling: "The ruling from the Court of Appeals represents a triumph for all New Yorkers who uphold the principles of our Constitution." He emphasized that even with a progressive majority, the court could not ignore that voting rights are reserved for American citizens only. "The Court's decision confirms our belief that expanding the franchise to noncitizens undermines the very foundation of our democratic system," he added.

The law was originally passed during former Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration and was not vetoed by either him or his successor, Mayor Eric Adams. Despite this, courts have consistently maintained that only citizens can vote according to constitutional guidelines.

Senator Walczyk has been an advocate for election fairness and integrity since 2023, often challenging Democratic election proposals. He argues that Albany Democrats are attempting to change electoral rules due to waning popularity and believes these changes threaten voter representation. Additionally, he supports giving local Boards of Elections more leeway in choosing early voting locations.

"I've been accused of making this up - New York Democrats are actively trying to register non-citizens to vote," Walczyk stated. He stressed that voting is a right exclusive to U.S. citizens and warned against fraudulent ballots cast by noncitizens: "Not one single citizen's vote should be cancelled by a fraudulent ballot, cast by someone who's a guest in our country."