Non-Citizens Can Reportedly Become Mayor in This Capitol

In an eyebrow-raising piece from Washington D.C.’s 7News, D.C. Board of Elections officials reportedly said in a D.C. Council hearing that non-citizens can run for elected office.

The statement befuddled 7News and the outlet asked if that meant non-citizens could run for D.C. mayor.

“So, technically, the Mayor of the District of Columbia could be a non-citizen,” 7News Bureau Chief Sam Ford questioned D.C. Councilmember Anita Bonds.

“Technically, it sounds like you’re about right,” Bonds responded.

“If you reside in the District of Columbia then you have the rights of everyone else because you’re paying taxes and your children are in our school system,” she noted.

The 7News report from the hearing opened eyes on social media.

“Board of Elections says non-citizens can run for elective office in DC, including mayor,” Lara Logan shared.

Board of Elections says non-citizens can run for elective office in DC, including mayor | WJLA https://t.co/EIBTGDV26g

— Lara Logan (@laralogan) June 27, 2023

“Russian and Chinese Ambassadors Can Officially Run for Mayor in DC? Board of Elections says non-citizens can run for elective office in DC, including mayor,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton commented.

Russian and Chinese Ambassadors Can Officially Run for Mayor in DC? Board of Elections says non-citizens can run for elective office in DC, including mayor https://t.co/72XmrKw5z1

— Tom Fitton (@TomFitton) June 27, 2023

https://twitter.com/ReallyRowdyRed/status/1673727666870992898

7News reports:

Bonds pointed out that the law prohibits non-citizens from participating only in federal elections. They cannot vote in the races for President of the United States nor for D.C.’s Delegate to Congress.

House Republicans in Congress were joined by 42 Democrats in trying to disapprove of the council’s law but the effort died in the US Senate.

A group in D.C., including Stacia Hall, the Republican candidate for Mayor of D.C. in the 2022 election, filed a suit in federal court against the new law.

Hall called the fact that a non-citizen could technically be elected Mayor, “outrageous.” She added that the law would also allow citizens of countries like China and Germany working in their respective embassies to vote in D.C. local elections as well.

But, on the other side of the issue is Abel Amene, an Ethiopian immigrant who has lived in the DMV for 20 years, most recently in D.C., and said he pays taxes, is subject to the military draft and should be able to vote.

He noted that he’s a green card holder, and therefore in the country legally. But the law would also allow undocumented non-citizens to vote as well.

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Amene argued that tens of thousands of D.C. residents who are not US citizens would become citizens were it not as difficult.

7News also aired this video report:

Transcript below:

HELLO. YES, WELL, DURING THE HEARING ON THE D.C. BOARD OF ELECTIONS, WE ASKED THE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN, ANITA BOND, DOES THAT MEAN NON-CITIZENS CAN ALSO VOTE IN
ELECTIONS THAT DON’T INVOLVE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT? CAN THEY ALSO RUN FOR OFFICE? AND THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS TOLD HER, YES. THAT PROMPTED THIS QUESTION FROM ME TO HER AFTER THE HEARING. TECHNICALLY, THE MAYOR OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA TO BE A NON-CITIZEN?

TECHNICALLY, YOU ARE RIGHT. IF YOU RESIDE THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, THAT YOU HAVE THE
RIGHT OF EVERYONE ELSE BECAUSE YOU ARE PAYING TAXES AND YOUR CHILDREN ARE IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.

> Reporter: OFFICIALS TRIED TO DISAPPROVE THE LAW BUT THE EFFORTS DIED IN THE SENATE. HOW FAR A DRUPE OF GROUP OF D.C. REPUBLICANS HAVE FILED A FEDERAL LAWSUIT.

THEY COULD BE A PART OF THE CHINESE OR GERMAN EMBASSY AND DISALLOWS THEM TO VOTE.

Reporter: TECHNICALLY, THE MAYOR OF D.C. COULD BE A NON-CITIZEN. WHAT IS YOUR REACTION?> THAT IS OUTRAGEOUS. AGAIN, A NON-CITIZEN THAT DOES NOT HAVE A VESTED INTEREST.

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> Reporter: YET, THIS RESIDENT FROM ETHIOPIA HAS LIVED HERE FOR 20 YEARS.

> I MYSELF HAVE BEEN LIVING HERE AND I PAY TAXES AND I COULD BE CALLED UP FOR WAR.

> THEY NEED TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF BECOMING A CITIZEN JUST AS OTHERS HAVE LAWFULLY DONE SO.

Reporter: AND HE IS AGREEING, BUT HE SAID THAT IT’S EXPENSIVE TO RUN — IT’S EXPENSIVE TO FILE FOR CITIZENSHIP AND HE WAS LOCKED UP ON A DUI AND THINKS THAT WOULD HINDER HIM, AND HE SAID TENS OF THOUSANDS WOULD BECOME IS THES IF IT WAS EASIER BUT THEY DON’T HAVE TO BECAUSE NON-CITIZENS UNDER THE CURRENT LAW CAN VOTE AND RUN FOR OFFICE AND BECOME MAYOR THOUGH WE KNOW THAT IS UNLIKELY.