(Letter to the Editor - Photo Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection)

It was reported on the news recently that California Gov. Gavin Newsom seeks initiating a program to allow foreigners to vote in local elections. Even foreigners who entered this country illegally are being issued drivers’ licenses, which will serve as an ID, and will be used to register to vote. Gov. Newsom alleges foreigners will only be allowed to vote in city and maybe county elections, but it is inevitable many foreigners will end up voting in federal elections.

New York City recently pushed legislation to permit foreigners to vote in their city elections, but the legislation failed to pass in city council. It may come up again in the future, in New York City and in other jurisdictions such as in California.

The U.S. Constitution, Amendment 15, reads: “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state on account of race, color or previous condition of servitude.”

The U.S. Constitution, Amendment 19, reads: “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.”

The U.S. Constitution, Amendment 24, reads: “The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for president or vice president, for electors for president or vice president or for senator or representative for Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.”

The U.S. Constitution, Amendment 26, reads: “The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state on account of age.”

The amendments which I have quoted also read “Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.”

Therefore, the constitution grants the right to vote to American citizens only and not to foreigners. Jurisdictions allowing foreigners to vote in “local” elections are in violation of the constitution and will eventually be admonished in the courts, whereas, each illegal foreign vote nullified a legal American vote.

Steve Wolverton

Parkersburg