Democrats' Bold Power Grab: Subverting Democracy by Handing Votes to Non-Citizens
- Rex Ballard
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
In a stunning display of political opportunism, Democratic leaders in Los Angeles are openly pushing to dismantle one of the core principles of American self-government: the idea that voting is a right reserved for citizens. A Los Angeles City Councilmember, Hugo Soto-Martínez, has introduced a motion to amend the city charter to allow the council to expand voting rights in local elections—including for mayor and City Council—to non-citizens.
This isn't some fringe proposal hidden in committee notes. It's a direct challenge to the foundational compact of the republic, where citizenship confers both privileges and responsibilities. Mayor Karen Bass, when directly asked in a mayoral debate whether non-citizens should vote in local elections, refused a straightforward answer: "It depends... It's not a yes or no." She noted that "non-citizens" could include legal green card holders and pointed to other cities experimenting with the idea.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has drawn sharp criticism for her equivocal stance on non-citizen voting.
This push comes amid broader Democratic efforts in sanctuary cities to blur the lines between citizens and non-citizens. Proponents argue that non-citizens pay taxes and are affected by local policies, so they deserve a say. But this ignores a fundamental truth: American democracy is built on citizenship. The U.S. Constitution and centuries of precedent tie political participation to allegiance to the nation. Diluting that standard doesn't "expand democracy"—it erodes it by empowering those without the full stake of citizenship, potentially allowing foreign interests, temporary residents, or even those here illegally to influence outcomes for actual citizens.
Critics rightly see this as a naked attempt to import voters more likely to support expansive government, welfare policies, and progressive causes. Cities like San Francisco and Oakland have already dabbled in non-citizen voting for school boards. Now Los Angeles, the second-largest city in America, is flirting with the same. If successful, it sets a precedent that could cascade to state and even federal levels, fundamentally altering the electorate in ways that favor one party.
The video evidence is damning.
This isn't isolated. Similar efforts have surfaced in New York, Maryland municipalities, Vermont, and Washington D.C. Democrats frame opposition as "xenophobic," but the real subversion is redefining "the people" to include those who haven't sworn the oath, passed the naturalization test, or pledged loyalty. True democracy requires boundaries.
Without them, it's mob rule by whoever shows up—citizen or not.
Gateway Pundit and other outlets have highlighted how these moves expose the hypocrisy of the "party of democracy." While lecturing about threats to elections, Democrats actively work to expand the voter pool beyond citizens. This isn't reform—it's a calculated strategy to maintain power as demographic shifts and policy failures alienate native-born voters. Taxpaying citizens, legal immigrants who followed the rules and naturalized, and every American who values sovereignty should reject it outright.
The Founding Fathers designed the system for "We the People"—citizens united under the Constitution. Handing the franchise to non-citizens isn't progressive; it's regressive to pre-republican notions of subjecthood without full membership. Los Angeles voters will have their say on the ballot, but the broader warning is clear: When one party openly tries to import its electorate, democracy itself is on the ballot. Americans must defend citizenship as the price of admission to the political arena.
This proposal and the mayor’s hedging response represent a broader pattern that demands scrutiny from every citizen who values the integrity of American elections. Democracy’s strength lies in clear boundaries—citizenship being the most fundamental one. Shasta Unfiltered will continue to follow this story.
Sources:
Jim Hoft, "Los Angeles City Councilman Wants Illegals to be Able to Vote in City Elections," The Gateway Pundit, May 1, 2026. https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/05/los-angeles-city-councilman-wants-illegals-be-able/
Los Angeles Times coverage of Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez’s proposal to amend the city charter for noncitizen voting. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-04-30/la-councilman-wants-to-let-noncitizens-vote-in-city-elections
ABC7 Los Angeles reporting on the councilmember’s push. https://abc7.com/post/los-angeles-councilmember-hugo-soto-martinez-wants-allow-noncitizens-vote-city-elections/19009659/
NBC Los Angeles mayoral debate clip featuring Karen Bass’s response on non-citizen voting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TKp_81vGD0
Additional context from Politico and local coverage on Mayor Bass’s statements.
