‘They are paying taxes.’ Local Politicians’ Attitudes Toward Noncitizen Voting in Mary-land and Washington, D.C.

Excluding certain groups from political decision-making processes can cause them to feel alienated from the political system. Although democratic decision-making processes have become more inclusive in many countries, debates on broadening the demos are ongoing. In recent decades, a growing number of US municipalities have introduced noncitizen voting at the local level. However, little is known about how local political actors view this development. This study explores local politicians’ perceptions of noncitizen voting by analyzing 20 qualitative interviews with local politicians and administrative employees in Maryland and Washington, D.C. By comparing municipalities with and without noncitizen voting, the study reveals that noncitizens are viewed as stakeholders because of their tax payments. Consistent with this framing as stakeholders, local politicians in municipalities without noncitizen voting tend to justify restrictions on noncitizen participation based not on individual characteristics of immigrants, such as their legal status, but on administrative hurdles. Overall, the study contributes to the literature on noncitizen voting by exploring local politicians’ attitudes toward this (current or potential) practice within their communities. As the movement to broaden the demos is predominantly located at the local level, this study adds valuable insights to the literature on noncitizen voting.