Noncitizen vote petition falling short
A group in favor of voting rights for noncitizens got about 1,000 fewer people to sign up than expected.
By Tom Bell tbell@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer
PORTLAND — Petitioners seeking to grant voting rights to noncitizens collected about 1,000 signatures fewer than expected at the Portland polls Tuesday. Organizers blamed low turnout in Portland for the shortfall.
The petitioners, who are led by the League of Young Voters, had expected to turn the petitions in to the city clerk this week, but they are about 1,000 signatures short of their goal of 5,000.
The group now plans to collect 300 signatures a week before turning them in by the July 14 deadline, said Will Everitt, director of the League of Young Voters.
Petitioners must collect the signatures of 4,486 registered Portland voters to put the question on the November ballot.
The proposal would allow noncitizens who are legal residents to vote in city elections.
On Tuesday, there were 17 volunteer petitioners working at 10 of the city's 11 polling places -- the only polling place they skipped was the one on Peaks Island.
While Everitt said low turnout was an obstacle, City Clerk Linda Cohen said Tuesday's turnout was relatively high. She said 28 percent of registered city voters cast ballots -- the highest primary turnout since at least 2000.
The total included nearly 13,500 of Portland's 48,000 registered voters, including 1,763 who cast absentee ballots.
To gather the remaining signatures, Everitt said, petitioners will be attending public events such as festivals and farmer's markets. He said he is confident the group will meet its goal, even though gathering signatures becomes more difficult as more people sign the petitions.
"Each week gets harder because you are drawing from less people," he said.
Everitt said petitioners have found that many opponents of the measure mistakenly assume it would allow illegal immigrants to vote. That's not the case, he said -- it would only apply to legal residents.
At this point, he said, petitioners are focused on finding supporters rather than educating people about the proposal. That effort will come later, he said.
"We aren't trying to change people's hearts and minds," he said. "We just want to get it on the ballot."
The petition drive began in March after the Portland Charter ?mmission rejected a proposal to put the issue on the ballot along with other proposed charter changes.
Staff Writer Tom Bell can be contacted at 791-6369 or at:
tbell@pressherald.com
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14 COMMENTS
Old-school said...
Only one problem, Mr. Everitt. Portland is a Sanctuary City and your not supposed to question someones immigration status. So how will you know if someone is an illegal immigrant or not. They have to register to vote, I presume. And the city employee who registers them can't ask. Someone just got hoisted on their own petard.
June 10, 2010 at 1:17 AM Report abuse
FlyingPoint said...
Old-school is exactly right, and if illegal residents are allowed to vote, why not hold office? Portland could become the first US city with an illegal immigrant mayor. That would promote "diversity"
June 10, 2010 at 5:55 AM Report abuse
Kathie said...
If they are here illegally how can they have legal rights here? I can't figure that one out.
June 10, 2010 at 6:09 AM Report abuse
FlyingPoint said...
Kathie, it is very simple. It is not illegal to be illegal in Maine.They are free to work,get a drivers license, whatever. Bald Archie made Maine a sanctuary state.
June 10, 2010 at 6:23 AM Report abuse
dumbstruck said...
If you read the article this applies to those here legally; even so, voting should be reserved for citizens. If a non-citizen wants to vote, they should do what immigrants have done for hundreds of years...become a citizen. That being said, people who fill out voter registration cards are not vetted through any process. Anyone can fill out the card, indicate they are a citizen and no proof of citizenship is ever required. Therefore, we have no idea who is already voting. Proof of citizenship should be required at registration.
June 10, 2010 at 6:46 AM Report abuse
justducky said...
Guess the immigrants were o busy spending tax payer money to help gather signatures.
June 10, 2010 at 7:28 AM Report abuse
jake007 said...
WTF is wrong with the posting this morning????? Wake up PPH censors.
June 10, 2010 at 7:38 AM Report abuse
homeboy said...
All of this is brought to you by Seantor Justin "Allfun" Alfond, compliments of grandads trust fund money. Finally, someone from the Portland delegation that actually makes Herb "Highwater Pants" Adams look not so crazy... Simple rules---if you want to vote here, you must be a citizen. Those rules work fine in other countries, and they have been working just fine here all along as well.
June 10, 2010 at 7:46 AM Report abuse
MainenCrisis said...
Actually in this case it is illegal to be illegal in Maine because Maine is part of the USA and Federal Law overides Local Law and by attempting to create a sancuary state, the "leaders" in Maine who advocate for sanctuary are aiding in a criminal act and technically are accessories to federal crime. In short. baldacci and anyone in a position of law inforcement wo ignores a persons legal status is a criminal.
June 10, 2010 at 8:24 AM Report abuse
UofA said...
Was Mr. Dini naturalized? He could have possibly become a member of our legislature without proving his citizenship just like Prez. Obummer.
June 10, 2010 at 9:00 AM Report abuse
mainetaz said...
It's simple,if you want to vote become a citizen.
June 10, 2010 at 9:40 AM Report abuse
NMR said...
Could it be that it's falling short because even Portland voters are smart enough to know this is a really bad idea?
June 10, 2010 at 9:50 AM Report abuse
MainenCrisis said...
NMR History shows us that Portland voters by majority are NOT.
June 10, 2010 at 10:25 AM Report abuse
MyDime said...
Old-school (or anyone who can answer): New to Portland, and asking for info about when Portland became a Sanctuary City ? Is this really true ? ? ? Thanks
June 10, 2010 at 1:24 PM Report abuse