Votes for All Acton

09/25/2024

For anyone working on their citizenship! https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid02SYDCRfqpkJ4EQKSUvMWjUUvmNBUPMKUw8AAweW3zWeEddtPU88D7C1RP1m4Vnz2Sl&id=100090995841518

04/02/2024

While there are many potential obsticles, Acton has many other cities and towns to model this bill after. As referenced previously, several towns in Massachusetts have or are in the process of putting similar "house rules" bills foward, and in fact most recently Boston City Council has passed a non-citizen voter rule. The next step is for this bill to be sent to Mayor Michelle Wu 吳弭 and the State Legislature for approval, so we will of course be anxiously awaiting that decision.

However, our neighboring state Vermont has already enacted non-citizen voting bills in various towns. As we start prepping to present to the Acton Selectboard, we will be looking to Vermont, as well as DC, California, and Maryland for language and guidence.

For an idea of the potential language we could be looking at, see the attached final legislative document from Montpelier VT's act.

03/18/2024

As of the most recent census, just over 28% of Acton residents are foreign-born. While some of these residents may have since obtained naturalized citizenship, it is just as likely that many may not yet have, for any number of reasons including the barriers put in place by our government. The wait time for a Green Card can be anywhere from a few months to 100+ years. Despite the best efforts and intentions of a tax-paying legal resident, citizenship my literally not be an option in their own lifetime due to this green card backlog.

While waiting for a Green Card, immigrating individuals have limited options. Get selected in the H1B lottery (another incredibly flawed process) and continue to work somewhere that sponsors H1B employees - extending/renewing the H1B visa until your Green Card is approved. You can transition to "Authorized Stay" (which is legally overstaying your Visa), if you submitted your Green Card application prior to your visa expiring. Generally (without government authorization for specific circumstances) you cannot leave the country while your Green Card application is pending, and you run the risk of being penalized for overstaying your visa if for any reason your Green Card application is denied. Additionally, unless you're approved for an EAD (employment authorization document), you'd be unable to work during that period of time either. An EAD requires employee sponsorship and is only available to certain categories of Green Card seekers.

To tie all of this together, while waiting what could be a literal lifetime for a Green Card (which you must hold for three to five years before being able to apply for citizenship), many of these residents opt to go the H1B or EAD route. And these tax-paying residents will be unable to voice their opinions about where their tax dollars go, how their town services and resources are managed, what happens in the school systems to which they may well send their children, etc.

At an immigration summit in the US Capitol, lawmakers from both parties called for addressing the Green Card backlog, which is disproportionately affecting Indian professionals and H-1B visa issues. They urged the removal of the seven percent country quota to expedite the process and prevent waiting...

03/16/2024

"Well, why not just come here legally?!" Did you know that only about 1% of those who would like to immigrate to the US are able to do so? Many people are under the impression that anyone can take the legal path. However, the US Government has put restrictions in place that legal immigration is an incredibly difficult process and available to only a select few.

The government’s restrictive criteria render legal paths of immigration available in only the most extreme cases.

03/12/2024

Would Acton be the first town to allow non-US/Naturalized Citizens to vote in local elections? No! In fact, Acton wouldn't even be the first town or city in Massachusetts! This past December, the Boston city council passed a "home rule" measure—similar to the one we are attempting to get on the 2025 Town Meeting Warrant—that would allow any tax-paying residents who are not US citizens to vote in their city elections.

Maryland, Vermont, New York, and California all have towns or cities in which non-US Citizens who are tax-paying residents may vote in local elections, and there are several other cities and towns (including a few in our immediate area) that are also in the early fact-finding stages of proposing similar home rules!

City Council passed the measure with an 8-4 vote, but it still needs the approval of Mayor Michelle Wu and the state Legislature.

03/12/2024

Welcome to the Votes for All Acton initiative – a grassroots movement dedicated to championing the right of tax-paying, legal U.S. (non-citizen) residents living among us to participate in our local town elections. In Acton, we believe in the power of every resident to shape our community.

As you are aware, Acton is home to a diverse population, including many non-U.S. citizens who are integral parts of our community. Our friends, neighbors, and family members, regardless of citizenship status, contribute immensely to our society, local economy, and the enrichment of our schools. Yet, when it comes to making decisions that affect their lives and where their tax dollars go, they're left without a voice.

The essence of democracy is the participation of all community members in decision-making processes. By allowing all tax-paying legal (non-citizen) residents to vote in local elections, we acknowledge their contributions, respect their place in our society, and enrich our community's democratic fabric. Several municipalities across the United States have successfully implemented similar policies, finding that they strengthen community ties and ensure more representative and equitable governance.

This page is your go-to source for information, education, and ways to support a proposed bill that seeks to ensure that everyone in Acton has the right to vote on matters close to their hearts and homes. Join us in making democracy truly inclusive. Check back frequently for updates, and for more info on how you can get involved!