Noncitizen-voting petitions turned in
Supporters want legal U.S. residents of Portland to be able to vote in elections.
By Tom Bell tbell@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer
PORTLAND - More than 5,000 petition signatures for a ballot initiative that would give noncitizens the right to vote in Portland's city elections were submitted Wednesday to the city clerk.
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The League of Young Voters submitted 5,110 signatures. The clerk's office will work over the next 20 days to determine how many are valid.
To get its proposal on the ballot, the group needs at least 4,487 valid signatures -- 20 percent of the number of Portland voters in the last gubernatorial election.
Will Everitt, state director for the League of Young Voters, said 35 volunteers collected the signatures. The campaign started March 22, shortly after the city's Charter Commission voted 7-5 against a proposal to give voting rights to Portland residents who aren't U.S. citizens.
The measure would extend voting rights only to legal residents of the U.S. Noncitizens would only be able to vote in city elections, not in state or federal elections.
Everitt said one-seventh of the city's registered voters signed the petition.
"A lot of people thought it was a lot of common sense that people who are paying taxes and living here legally have a say at the local level," he said.
Joceyln Bourgault, 23, a volunteer who collected nearly 400 signatures, mostly at the Portland Farmers Market, said a few people got angry when she explained the petition to them.
"When you piss people off, you know you are doing something good," she said.
Staff Writer Tom Bell can be contacted at 791-6369 or at: tbell@pressherald.com
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17 COMMENTS
heyjoe said...
This is going to go down in flames... As for The League of Young Voters, GROW UP!!!
July 15, 2010 at 12:59 AM Report abuse
mohonk said...
Forets Gump said it best. "Stupid is as Stupid does"
July 15, 2010 at 5:11 AM Report abuse
UofA said...
His name was FORREST! And for the real thing. First step in voting is to be born in the US, Not Kenya, Somalia or any other country or become a citizen. A white English couple that was running a business is being deported instead of being able to live in our country but Pakistanis that are illegally here are pampered. Now the democrats are coming up with this foolishness. They should be banned.
July 15, 2010 at 6:17 AM Report abuse
MainenCrisis said...
We were once naive and misgueded like these poor youths...lol time will learn ya kids.
July 15, 2010 at 6:47 AM Report abuse
Blazen said...
I guess the League of Young Voters don't want the foreigners to have low self esteem. Let's not discriminate against the felons!
July 15, 2010 at 6:49 AM Report abuse
punk51 said...
no votes unless you are a citizen...this league of young voters shows what is wrong with the young ones---stupid, lack of respect for americans, inbred, uneducated, oh, and really really stupid
July 15, 2010 at 6:50 AM Report abuse
merrywidow said...
I'm betting that most of the signatures will be found not vaild.
July 15, 2010 at 7:03 AM Report abuse
badjuju said...
Agreed,STUPID! This will never stand.
July 15, 2010 at 7:37 AM Report abuse
Jack24 said...
No citizenship no vote! Simple as that! I can't go to Mexico and vote why should we allow any noncictzen the right to vote!
July 15, 2010 at 7:41 AM Report abuse
justducky said...
OK, so I can't directly quote the article, who's the censer, Joceyln Bourgault
July 15, 2010 at 8:38 AM Report abuse
Jon said...
Are all these folks working to make this petition drive successful. Racism, nativism, hatred. They are all here in these comments. We should admire non-citizens who have come here legally to create a better life of themselves and to contribute to our state and country. But let them vote? No. That's a privelege that should be reserved for citizens.
July 15, 2010 at 9:08 AM Report abuse
GURRY70 said...
League of Young Fools were all brought up in the "everybody gets a trophy" era. They are clueless about history, the Constitution and sooo much more. Had one of their ilk at my door last night looking for a donation to a liberal/left wing group propaganda/newspaper.
July 15, 2010 at 9:15 AM Report abuse
betty330 said...
That's it..throw out the Constitution, we obviously don't need it any more.
July 15, 2010 at 9:26 AM Report abuse
jake007 said...
Sen. Snowe has a better chance of being pole dancer then this "ballot initiative" has.
July 15, 2010 at 9:43 AM Report abuse
homeboy said...
jake007, The thought of Sen. Olympia Snowe as a poledancer will require massive amounts of therapy, alcohol, and medication for all of the PPH readers...
July 15, 2010 at 10:07 AM Report abuse
Iwonder said...
If these legal residents promise to vote against Cheryl Leeman, I'm for them voting.
July 15, 2010 at 10:23 AM Report abuse
Pat said...
Ask Obama what he thinks of this while he is there visiting. I am sure that he will tell you that his Muslim brothers should be allowed to vote in elections no matter the state of their citizenship. Matter of fact I am beginning to think he thinks that non-citizens have more of a right to vote then citizens. Next in line are line is the Hispanic vote. Legal citizens and that includes those who are immigrants here should be the ones to decide who is elected in this country.
July 15, 2010 at 10:38 AM Report abuse