Republicans are suing the city of Winooski in Vermont to block a local ordinance that allows foreigners to vote in school board elections.
Last year, Winooski started permitting foreign nationals to vote in local elections. The Winooski Incorporated School District links its voter qualification to the city’s charter, so foreign nationals can vote in school district elections as well, including those related to school budgets. The city’s annual education budget is paid for from the State Education Fund.
The lawsuit (pdf) insists that allowing noncitizens to vote on such issues violates the state constitution.
“Chapter II, Section 42 of the Vermont Constitution establishes United States citizenship as a requirement for voting on ‘freemen’ issues, which include ‘any matter that concerns the State of Vermont,’” according to the lawsuit….