Frederick becomes the largest municipality in Maryland to approve non-citizen voting

FREDERICK, Md. — The City of Frederick has become the largest municipality in Maryland to approve non-citizen voting in local elections.

Late Thursday night, the Board of Aldermen voted 4-1 to grant green card holders and undocumented citizens the right to vote locally. The only dissenting vote was that of Alderman Kelly Russell. 

Under the new changes non-citizen voters would still have to prove that they reside in Frederick. Convicted felons would be ineligible to vote under the legislation. 

The Board of Aldermen approved the legislation following pressure from advocacy groups like American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and testimonies from undocumented immigrants.

Amilcar de Leon says he immigrated to the U.S. from Guatemala seven years ago. As an undocumented immigrant living in Frederick, he says he feels as if he has no voice on the issues that impact his every day life. 

"Here, there aren't any immigrants that live for free. If I am an immigrant, I pay rent, I pay taxes, I pay car insurance. That's why it's an important, that's why we want a voice," de Leon told WUSA9.

The issue was first studied by a city commission in 2023. John Funderburk was part of the group that recommended that the board move forward to allow permanent residents and  undocumented immigrants to vote in local elections. "If undocumented citizens are part of the community, then they should have a voice in how their local tax dollars should be spent," Funderburk said. 

The study conducted by the city commission indicates that Frederick has an estimated 6,400 non-citizens who would be eligible to vote in local elections. The first time non-citizens will be able to vote will be in 2025. 

The issue moved forward in the local jurisdiction as Republicans voice concerns that non-citizens voting could skew the upcoming presidential election.

"Federal and state local are two very different issues," immigration attorney Viviana Westbrook told WUSA9. She says the voter fraud claims are not a concern given that 11 municipalities in Maryland already allow-non citizens to vote in local elections. 

Immigration attorney Viviana Westbrook pushes back on the voter fraud claims given 11 municipalities in Maryland already allow non-citizens to vote locally. "We have seen across, like so many localities in Maryland like, Maryland has so many places. Takoma Park just celebrated its 30th anniversary of doing this last year," Westbrook added.