Petitioners for non-citizen vote collect 2,000 signatures
By Tom Bell tbell@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer
Organizers who are petitioning to give non-citizens the right to vote in Portland elections say they have gathered about 2,000 signatures and plan to collect at least 3,000 more at polling places around the city on Election Day next Tuesday.
The group needs to collect 4,495 valid signatures by July 14 to put a question on the ballot next November.
The League of Young Voters is leading the petition drive.
At a press conference at City Hall today, several politicians showed their support, including former state representatives Mike Brennan and John Eder, Rep. Peter Stuckey, D-Portland, City Councilors David Marshall and Dan Skolnik, School Committee member Jenna Vendil, and Charter Commission members Lorie Davis, Ben Chipman and Anna Trevorrow.
About 30 volunteers are gathering the signatures. Jack Woods, who is coordinating the drive, said petitioners have run into people who strongly oppose the proposal but at the same time have been respectful of the petitioners.
“Nobody has gotten angry or mad about it,” he said. “It’s been very civil.”
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40 COMMENTS
Scrib said...
Well, if there are this many suckers in Portland, I think I'll go into the snake oil business. Should be a good living...
June 2, 2010 at 3:51 PM Report abuse
mjn2ts said...
Is this a joke? Non-citizens being allowed to vote? How about you become a citizen, then you can have a legitimate voice.
June 2, 2010 at 3:57 PM Report abuse
dcl4500 said...
Doesn't it cost taxpayer money to put stuff like this on a ballot? What a waste, not a snowball's chance in hell of winning...
June 2, 2010 at 3:59 PM Report abuse
SL said...
Hey, non-citizens soak up our tax dollars so why can't they vote? Oh wait..If you can't vote then why you soaking up our tax dollars? I get mixed up!
June 2, 2010 at 3:59 PM Report abuse
FlyingPoint said...
This is a great idea, but it doesn't go far enough. Anyone who shows up at the polls should be allowed to vote as often as they like.
June 2, 2010 at 4:04 PM Report abuse
Citygirl said...
Well - only current registered voters could vote for this change. If it passes - we have only the city of Portland voters who didn't get out and vote to blame.
June 2, 2010 at 4:11 PM Report abuse
Chew said...
Maybe the 2000 signatures are from non-citizens?
June 2, 2010 at 4:29 PM Report abuse
SopoMeMan said...
WTF? There is no sense whatsoever in allowing non-citizens to vote. Portlanders, if you are not registered to vote do so now and when it goes to the polls get out and vote. This is ridiculous. What else do they want? We give them a social security number, welfare, a driver's license and a place to live. What next free cars? Free iPhones? Hey, I know, Let's let them run for Mayor!
June 2, 2010 at 4:52 PM Report abuse
MainenCrisis said...
I'm moving to Israel!
June 2, 2010 at 4:55 PM Report abuse
notspot said...
"Portlanders, if you are not registered to vote..." Then you have no right to moan and groan. Dummies.
June 2, 2010 at 4:57 PM Report abuse
mictour said...
They are non citizens they have no right to vote! These whacko liberals are really going off the deep end They just want to give our country away.You want to vote become a citizen thats simple enough. The Democrats will do anything to gain power this is a prime example.
June 2, 2010 at 5:00 PM Report abuse
v255504 said...
I'm so glad I moved away from Portland. Let the non-citizens vote and watch the welfare spending sky rocket and the population that actually does work (ie not the liberals) move out of town and then the tax base disappears. Leading to even more welfare recipients.
June 2, 2010 at 5:10 PM Report abuse
Doc said...
Dirty, stinking liberal scum.
June 2, 2010 at 5:12 PM Report abuse
TElTQVBPUlRMQU5E said...
I think that if we keep letting people come into this country just because they want too...Is ridiculous...They should need political assylum in order to come to the US...We are having to take hardworking American's money in order to pay for their housing, food, and medical bills...We are not even helping our own people here...It is crazy we are petitioning for non citizens to vote...They are non citizens for a reason...They have not done what they need to do to become a citizen...So if AZ were to allow all non citizen's to vote what kind of chaos do you think would occur...SO lets stop and think what will occur here...So how many times does the US have to deal with terrisom attacks...This could be an in for just that with starting to let people vote to control the local goverment...So stop and think should we even allow people who become citizens to vote...If we allow this then we have to allow convicts to vote as well...Think about the freedom we will loose in the end...
June 2, 2010 at 5:25 PM Report abuse
pphreader said...
This is beyond liberal and conservative.This is whacked.Not a citize? YOU CANNOT VOTE. Be grateful that you are allowed to live in the US.
June 2, 2010 at 5:27 PM Report abuse
pphreader said...
Most Dems, like myself would never support a non citizen having voting rights.This is madness.
June 2, 2010 at 5:29 PM Report abuse
EdwardTMoore said...
Hey hysterical ones. It's only to allow them to vote in municipal elections for school committee, city council and so on. They work here, their children go to school here, they do pay taxes whenever they buy anything. It's not unreasonable at all for them to want a local voice. I will sign the petition and I will vote for this. If they become part of the process it will be a good thing. All you posters should relax, have a beer and get an education! Edward T. Moore
June 2, 2010 at 6:01 PM Report abuse
Bole said...
It just seems like a treasonous idea to me. Check the credentials of those pushing this.
June 2, 2010 at 6:23 PM Report abuse
dcl4500 said...
"FlyingPoint said... This is a great idea, but it doesn't go far enough. Anyone who shows up at the polls should be allowed to vote as often as they like." Only in Chicago....
June 2, 2010 at 6:31 PM Report abuse
ell01 said...
I suspect that many of the signers are doing so in order to get it on the ballot and defeat it, rather soundly.
June 2, 2010 at 6:37 PM Report abuse
Scrib said...
ellO1- I'm afraid you're way over- estimating both the good intentions and intelligence of a great many Portlanders. Sorry to say, I have NO doubt that petitioners would be able to get nearly as many signatures by asking- "do you support putting a question on the ballot to allow all illegal aliens with Islamic-terrorist ties to vote in city elections ?". This is Portland- wake up people!
June 2, 2010 at 7:01 PM Report abuse
demelza said...
To EdwardTMoore; If the non-citizens are working here and paying taxes and sending their children to our schools, they already have more than they deserve. Why should non-citizens have a say? No reason I can think of.
June 2, 2010 at 7:35 PM Report abuse
SoxFan73 said...
It has worked for generations that the new arrivals work hard to become citizens. With that these people will have more of a voice. EARN the right that generations have before you. Work hard for it. It should not be easy.
June 2, 2010 at 7:48 PM Report abuse
splarry said...
Chicago allows non-citizens to vote. But then that is Chicago.
June 2, 2010 at 8:50 PM Report abuse
august1 said...
Edward, you are what's wrong with this country. if they want to cast a ballot, why not become a citizen? I'll tell you why, b/c people are always looking for the easy way to do things. It has gotten to the point of ridiculous!
June 3, 2010 at 9:33 AM Report abuse
august1 said...
Soxfan, Well said! My great grandparents came here from Italy. There was no welfare or help from the state. They stayed with friends and found jobs. My family is very well known in the Portland community for their hard work & dedication to the community.
June 3, 2010 at 9:36 AM Report abuse
otisslee said...
Edward Moore, Count me among the 'hysterical'. I believe voting is a privelege of citizenship. I do not expect any goverment outside the US to permit me a vote before I go through the steps to be awarded citizen there.
June 3, 2010 at 9:47 AM Report abuse
ACHILLES said...
SoPoMeMan asks - "We give them a social security number, welfare, a driver's license and a place to live. What next free cars? Free iPhones? Hey, I know, Let's let them run for Mayor!" Yeah, that's about right. Inmates are trying to run the asylum.
June 3, 2010 at 10:33 AM Report abuse
ACHILLES said...
Leftie liberals are our nations worst enemy. Period.
June 3, 2010 at 10:35 AM Report abuse
Portcitylive said...
Dear Edward, I have an education and do ocassionally have a beer. This proposal is a non-starter and a waste of taxpayer funds. If a person wants to vote then they need to become a citizen. Its too hard? If you want something bad enough you will worl for it.
June 3, 2010 at 10:38 AM Report abuse
common_cents said...
How about air-drops of absentee ballots over Somalia, Mexico and Guatamala! Might as well go all the way with this initiative!...two sided ballots...back side has a union or Dem. party membership on it.
June 3, 2010 at 10:51 AM Report abuse
Roxieow said...
I'll tell you what is sickening. The tribes in Maine can have a rep in Augusta but they cannot vote, which is ridiculous. A non-American wants to have the right to vote? This is really messed up.
June 3, 2010 at 11:23 AM Report abuse
Jeevz said...
Most legal immigrants come, they work, and they pay taxes (through sales tax, and property tax, indirectly as landlords pass the expense through rent, and income tax.) Their children are required by law to attend school. They don't have a choice. They volunteer at local nonprofits. They enrich our culture. To deny their contribution to society is intellectually lazy. Those working hard to become citizens - and compose a majority of the legal immigrants - are not citizens strictly because the immigration process is long. They have to live here for years before they can be granted citizenship - no matter how perfect they are. The catalyst for our nation's independence movement was the concept of "taxation without representation." They are being taxed - they should have some say in how those taxes are spent. And to be clear - voting rights would only be extended to LEGAL immigrants on MUNICIPAL matters. They could not vote for Governor, state referendums or any national elections.
June 3, 2010 at 11:47 AM Report abuse
Steve0 said...
Jeevz said... The catalyst for our nation's independence movement was the concept of "taxation without representation." They are being taxed - they should have some say in how those taxes are spent. And to be clear - voting rights would only be extended to LEGAL immigrants on MUNICIPAL matters. They could not vote for Governor, state referendums or any national elections. ====================== If you want to talk about being intellectually lazy, you are using "taxation without representation" as a a rationale for non-citizens to vote, but then you limit voting to only municipal matters. If non-citizens are paying taxes to the city of Portland, then they are also likely to be paying state and federal taxes. By your "taxation without representation" logic, shouldn't they be able to vote in those elections as well?
June 3, 2010 at 11:55 AM Report abuse
otisslee said...
Jeevz, Nobody is denying the contribution to society that some industrious legal immigrants offer. So what? I could go to any poor country and build a school, hospital, or library for them - but I would do not expect them to let me vote until I am a citizen.
June 3, 2010 at 11:57 AM Report abuse
SacoSam said...
Nobody is forcing non-citizens to come here. It is their choice and it should not be made with the notion that everything is going to be handed to you. Try going to ANY country in the world and expect to have a voice in local government. You will be laughed at and told if you don't like it, you can leave.
June 3, 2010 at 12:43 PM Report abuse
Aldon said...
The signatures are accessory after the fact to federal felonies. Round 'em up and throw away the key.
June 3, 2010 at 2:44 PM Report abuse
Pinecone said...
Is this serious? I mean really? How can anyone think that this is a good idea?
June 3, 2010 at 2:46 PM Report abuse
Hawkeye9909 said...
Seriously, people have nothing better to do? This issue doesn't even crack a top 1,000 list of more important things to be accomplished in Portland.
June 3, 2010 at 2:49 PM Report abuse
Jeevz said...
@Steve0 - Yes, I am using "taxation without representation" as a rationale for non-citizens to vote. No, I personally am not limiting their vote to municipal matters. Yes - by my logic they should be allowed to vote in federal and state elections, but NO, I'm not suggesting that that be the case. None of these concepts are mutually dependent on each other because the City of Portland gets Fed and State money and have some leeway in how it is spent and how federally/state financed programs are delivered. @SacoSam - the same thing happens when you move to another state. Once you've established legal permanent residency, you're allowed to vote locally because local legislative measures affect you, your family and friends. It's funny... everyone freaks out about just TALKING about legal residents having voting rights, but when non-human corporations are actually given person-hood status by the federal gov't, no one seems to care.
June 4, 2010 at 1:10 PM Report abuse