Cambridge City Council Gives Voting Rights to Immigrants

In a significant step in support of immigrant rights, the Cambridge City Council approved a measure Monday night that will allow non-citizens to vote in local school committee elections.

The council voted 5-3 to pass the measure on to the State Legislature for approval. The proposal has been under consideration since the early 1990s.

"When elected officials are preaching about representation and participation, what could be more fundamental than allowing parents to have say about the education of their children?" said Cambridge Councilor Jim Braude, who supported the measure.

Those who oppose extending voting rights to non-citizens lobbied hard against the measure.

"I agree with the established process of immigrants gaining citizenship and, with that, the right to vote," said Joe Grassi, a school committee member who opposed the measure.

But those who supported the measure have long claimed that immigrants' right to vote is delayed because they must cut through so much red tape to become citizens.

"Some people apply for citizenship when their kids enter kindergarten, and when their kids have graduated from high school they still don't have their citizenship," Braude said.

While considering the measure, the council heard testimony from more than 100 non-citizens concerning the difficulties of obtaining citizenship.

"My original bias was to vote against this measure because I too believed that voting was a right only for citizens, but the facts got in the way of my bias. After hearing the testimonies of these people, it became clear that these people were not becoming citizens simply because of a lack of effort," Braude said.

Michael A. Sullivan, a member of the city council, said the measure will allow local government to better represent the opinions of all Cambridge residents.

"We see our job as representing all people here, regardless if they can vote or not. The basic reality is that if parents can't vote, the school committee doesn't pay attention to them," Sullivan said.

Cambridge City Mayor Anthony D. Galluccio, who voted against the measure, said he believes the campaign for voting rights takes the focus off the real issue concerning immigrants and citizenship.

"I think the focus should be on the actual immigration process. The federal government needs to reevaluate the way it grants citizenship, especially to those seeking political asylum, so that they can become citizens and vote. While I am sympathetic with the frustration about all the red tape, I feel that voting rights are an important part of becoming a citizen," he said.

There are several other American cities, including New York and Chicago, which allow non-citizens to vote in school committee elections. Approximately 20 percent of Cambridge school children have immigrant parents.

Massachusetts state Representative Jarrett T. Barrios '90 (D-Cambridge) said he will support the measure in the State Legislature because it is only fair for parents who pay taxes for schools to have a say where their money goes.

"It is patently unfair for a person to wait 15 to 20 years to become a citizen, all the while seeing their kids in school, paying taxes, and not having a chance to participate," he said.

Barrios added that the measure also encourages immigrant participation in the government.

"This gives parents a voice and encourages their interest and participation in their kids' education and the election process, getting them involved at the basic level of civic society," he said.